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Yellow wax catfish

Amblyceps cerinum

Also known as Wax torrent cat

FreshwaterFish

Yellow wax catfish (Amblyceps cerinum)

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
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Amblycipitidae
Origin
Brahmaputra tributaries, northeast India

Overview

The yellow wax catfish is a peaceful, mostly nocturnal relative of the crevice catfish. It needs cool, flowing water and is moderately demanding to keep.

Did you know

The yellow wax catfish takes its species name, cerinum, from a word meaning the color of wax. It was named for its smooth, candle-yellow body, which glows softly against the dark stones of its cold mountain streams.

Caring for the yellow wax catfish

Keep yellow wax catfish in a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L) with a sand and pebble floor. Build stacks of smooth rocks and cobbles that leave narrow gaps for daytime hiding.

Give it cool, oxygen-rich water with a good current and strong aeration. Hold the temperature on the low side, at 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C), with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It should not be kept warm year round. Warm, still or poorly oxygenated water suits it badly, so treat it as a subtropical stream fish rather than a tropical one.

After dark, offer sinking meaty foods such as frozen bloodworm, chopped earthworm and small sinking pellets. Drop them near its hiding places so it can find them.

The yellow wax catfish is peaceful and does well in a small group of its own kind, so keep several. It is gentle with fish it cannot swallow but may snap up very small tank mates or shrimp in the dark. Choose calm, cool-water companions of a similar size. It is not known to have bred in aquariums.

Good to know

Amblyceps cerinum is a torrent catfish in the family Amblycipitidae, described from northeastern India in 2010. It has the family's flattened head, four pairs of barbels and small eyes. It is also sold as the wax torrent cat, and it reaches keepers only as an occasional wild-caught import.

In the wild

The yellow wax catfish comes from tributaries of the Brahmaputra in northeast India. It lives under stones in cool, clear, fast-flowing foothill streams.

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Tank mates

The yellow wax catfish is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a yellow wax catfish need?

A yellow wax catfish needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a yellow wax catfish need?

A yellow wax catfish is comfortable at 68–77°F (20–25°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a yellow wax catfish eat?

A yellow wax catfish eats sinking meaty foods, such as frozen bloodworm, chopped earthworm and small sinking pellets. Offer them after dark, near its hiding places.

How big does a yellow wax catfish get?

An adult yellow wax catfish reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).

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