Whiptail catfish

The Whiptail catfish lives in the demersal, freshwater environment.

They are commonly called whiptail catfish because of the long filament that grows out of the tip of the caudal fin that is characteristic to their genus. More

many varieties of whiptail catfish fall in the "interesting looking" category. These are flattened, very slim, armored catfish from South America. The top caudal fin ray grows into a long whip-like filament that gives them their common name. More

You should keep the Whiptail Catfish in a heavily planted aquarium with a sandy substrate for them to swim over. More

Comments: There are a lot of species labeled whiptail catfish in the LFS and they are VERY hard to distinguish from one another. That is why I gave three Species/Genus names. These are the names you will see them under most commonly. More

close cousin, the Longnose Whiptail Catfish, Sturisoma barbatum is sometimes sold under the same generic name, but obtains a mature size closer to 9 inches in length. More

The Whiptail Catfish is a sucker mouth catfish. The male's first dorsal fin is long and it has facial "whiskers". The female does not have "whiskers" and the dorsal fin is a little shorter. More

The Giant Whiptail Catfish is a unique South American algae eater. It's dark brown on light brown coloration and flattened body camoflages it perfectly to driftwood. Native to strong river currents in Central and South America, this fish can grow to 7.5 inches. More

Common names

Alcalde in Spanish (español)
Cuchara in Spanish (español)
Cucho pitero in Spanish (español)
Paleta in Spanish (español)
Pileta in Spanish (español)
Raspacanoa in Spanish (español)
Tabla in Spanish (español)
Whiptail catfish in English
Zapatero in Spanish (español)
鞭尾甲鯰 in Mandarin Chinese
鞭尾甲鲶 in Mandarin Chinese

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