Yellow wax catfish

Amblyceps cerinum

Also known as Wax torrent cat

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–77°F (20–25°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 4.3 in (11 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Brahmaputra tributaries, northeast India
Family: Amblycipitidae

Overview

The yellow wax catfish is a cool-stream relative of the crevice catfish, a peaceful, mostly nocturnal fish that does well in a small group of its own kind. Keep several in a tank of around 75 liters set up with cobbles and rock stacks that leave narrow gaps for daytime hiding. It is gentle with fish it cannot swallow but may snap up very small tankmates or shrimp in the dark, so choose calm, cool-water companions of a similar size. It strongly prefers cooler water and should not be kept warm year round. After dark, offer sinking meaty foods such as frozen bloodworm, chopped earthworm, and small sinking pellets, dropping them near its hiding places so it can find them.

In the wild

This catfish was described from tributaries of the Brahmaputra in northeast India, where it lives under stones in cool, clear, fast-flowing foothill streams. It wants the same cool, oxygen-rich conditions as its mountain habitat. Hold the temperature on the low side, from about 20 to 25 C, at a slightly acidic to neutral pH between roughly 6.0 and 7.5. Use a sand and pebble floor with stacked smooth rocks for cover, a good current, and strong aeration. Warm, still, or poorly oxygenated water suits it badly, so treat it as a subtropical stream fish rather than a tropical one.

Good to know

Amblyceps cerinum is a torrent catfish in the family Amblycipitidae, described from northeastern India in 2010 and reaching around 11 centimeters. It has the family's flattened head, four pairs of barbels, and small eyes, over a plain waxy-yellow body. The species name cerinum means the color of wax, chosen for that pale candle-yellow tone. It is not known to have bred in aquaria, and it reaches keepers only as an occasional wild-caught import.

Did you know

The name cerinum means the color of wax, given for the fish's smooth, candle-yellow body, a soft glow that stands out against the dark stones of the cold mountain streams it lives in.