Long-whiskered Catfish

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Coastal estuaries, mudflats, and silt-bottomed rivers of South and Southeast Asia. Highly adaptable.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Family Bagridae. Scaleless, streamlined body. Distinctive for its extremely long maxillary barbels. Grows up to 20 cm.

Social Behavior: Schooling species. Highly active compared to other catfishes. They swim in groups across the bottom and middle columns.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Plain steel-grey or olive-grey body with a silvery belly. No external sexual dimorphism.

Aquarium Setup: Standard setup with sand substrate and smooth driftwood logs. Open space for active swimming is essential.

Diet and Feeding: Voracious omnivore. Readily eats sinking pellets, earthworms, frozen mysis, and chopped shellfish. Feed in the evening.

Water Quality: Highly adaptable. Lives well in hard freshwater, but light brackish water (SG 1.002-1.005) is preferred for long-term health.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Keep with large brackish fish. Avoid small species, as they will be eaten during the night.

Aquarium Breeding: Egg scatterer. Undocumented in home aquariums due to their migratory breeding habits in nature.

Risks and Diseases: High jumping risk. Keep the aquarium covered securely. Prone to skin damage from rough substrates.