Whiptail Catfish

Whiptail Catfish is peaceful, sociable and easy to keep. For a long time, it was scientifically known as Rineloricaria parva, but the recently accepted name for this species is Hemiloricaria parva. The expected life span of the Whiptail Catfish is that of 5-8 years. A good amount of information about this fish is given in the account below.

Habitat of Whiptail Catfish

This fish is approximately always found amongst leaf litter over sandy substrates. You can find it in both clear and whitewater habitats (whitewater means water containing plenty of dissolved sediment).

Physical Description of Whiptail Catfish

Whiptail Catfish is long and slender. Its appearance is like a lizard. Its basic color is sandy brown with dark slanting bands athwart the dorsal surface. At both tips, the caudal fin has long filaments. Its size is around 12 cm or 4.7 inches.

Diet of Whiptail Catfish

Feeding Whiptail Catfish is not a problem. This fish loves to eat a variety of foods like zucchini, lettuce, sinking pellets, cucumber and the like. You can also offer plant matter or vegetables to this fish. It does not eat up plants in the tank. Meaty foods are also accepted by this fish. So, you can feed it with blood worms, beef heart and other frozen and live foods.

Breeding Whiptail Catfish

Whiptail Catfish lays eggs in proxy burrows like PVC tubes. The male holds the responsibility to guard them. The fry start swimming at their own after about five days of spawning. Once the fry start swimming freely, they are abandoned by their father. The fry readily accept algae and softened vegetables at once. It is comparatively easy to rear the fry.

Tank Set Up for Whiptail Catfish

The tank of the Whiptail Catfish should have a biotope setup. It can simply consist of a film of sand. A layer of dried leaves, especially beech and oak leaves are scattered over the sandy film. The beech and oak leaves are suggested as these are non-hazardous and work well. You can put some twisted branches and sporadic rounded stone for effect. Provide some wood or rock caves or lengths of pvc piping. These things act as possible spawning sites. The fish stays comfortable in a well-planted tank. It does not like very dazzling lighting. It requires tank temperature of 68-77 degree F or 20-25 degree C and pH should be 6.0-7.5.

Compatibility of Whiptail Catfish

Whiptail Catfish is amongst the most peaceful catfish found. You can easily keep them with several other species. In a biotope setup good tank mates comprise of small characins, Corydoras, Apistogramma and other calm Loricariids. You can also keep it in most communities of nonviolent fish. Do not keep Whiptail Catfish with any species that are too vigorous or violent as it will become very diffident and without doubt, it will be out-competed for food. It is not territorial except spawning and is best kept in a little group.

Whiptail Catfish is a peaceful fish which can be kept in a community tank as long as adequate shelter, preferably in the form of bogwood is provided. It is difficult to identify this fish correctly. In fact, distinguishing any of the Hemiloricaria species from one another is very complicated. It is quite possible that fish sold under this name may turn out to be another species completely. The fact which cannot be denied is that it is a gregarious fish.