TankBud

White whisker lancer catfish

Bagrichthys majusculus

Also known as Black lancer majusculus

FreshwaterFish

White whisker lancer catfish (Bagrichthys majusculus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
7.9 in
20 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Bagridae
Origin
Mekong and Chao Phraya basins

Overview

The white whisker lancer catfish is a shy, night-active bottom catfish with a black body. It is best with a little experience and a dim, well-covered tank.

Did you know

Against its coal-black body, the white whisker lancer catfish's long barbels stand out chalk-white. That is where its name comes from, and how it is told apart from the similar black lancer.

Caring for the white whisker lancer catfish

Keep one white whisker lancer catfish in a tank of at least 79 gal (300 L), since males are territorial toward one another. Give it a soft sand bed, dim light and plenty of shaded retreats among driftwood, rock caves or pipes. Low light and secure hiding places coax this shy fish out to feed.

Keep the water warm at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C), soft to neutral, with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It hides all day and forages after dark. Feed sinking foods, frozen bloodworm, prawn and small live foods once the lights are off.

This catfish is mostly peaceful and will not bother fish too large to swallow. Small tank mates may be eaten, so choose robust, medium-sized companions. Its breeding is not recorded in aquariums.

Good to know

Bagrichthys majusculus is a bagrid catfish in the family Bagridae. Like others in its genus, it has a tall, backward-curving dorsal keel that gives the group their lancer name.

In the wild

The white whisker lancer catfish lives in slow, often turbid stretches of the Mekong and Chao Phraya river systems in Southeast Asia. It keeps to shaded water strewn with wood.

Common questions

What size tank does a white whisker lancer catfish need?

A white whisker lancer catfish needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a white whisker lancer catfish need?

A white whisker lancer catfish is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a white whisker lancer catfish eat?

A white whisker lancer catfish eats sinking foods, frozen bloodworm, prawn and small live foods. Feed it once the lights are off, when it comes out to forage.

How big does a white whisker lancer catfish get?

An adult white whisker lancer catfish reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).

Related species