The Red Whiptail Catfish (Rineloricaria sp.), also known as the Red Whiptail Catfish, is a member of the Loricariidae family of South American suckermouth catfishes. While many suckermouth catfish species have yet to be bred on any major scale in aquariums, the Red Whiptail Catfish has been bred by a few farms. This fish is highly unique with its very thin, twig-like appearance. The origins of this fish are mysterious and undetermined. Most believe that it may be a man-made hybrid, and all specimens in the aquarium hobby are tank-bred. It is suspected that one of the parent species of this fish might be Rineloricaria lanceolota, but this has not been solidly determined.
The Red Whiptail Catfish is primarily nocturnal, but will often become active during daytime hours once established in an aquarium with plenty of driftwood, rockwork, and other hiding places. It is not known to eat wood heavily like some sucker mouth catfish (Panaque sp., etc.), but it may benefit from some supplementary wood (or rather the biofilm on driftwood) in its diet. The Red Whiptail Catfish will not bother most plants. Feed the Red Whiptail Catfish an omnivorous diet. Many breeders and keepers of this fish insist that it needs a regular supply of meaty live and frozen foods of appropriate size, such as bloodworms and Daphnia. It will also appreciate being regularly fed some fresh vegetables such as shelled peas, spinach, zucchini and cucumber as well as blanched green, leafy vegetables.
The Red Whiptail Catfish is extremely peaceful and is compatible with most other non-aggressive fish and invertebrates that will not outcompete it for food. It is possible that larger specimens might eat very small dwarf shrimp, particularly their fry. However, some aquarists keep the Red Whiptail Catfish with their shrimp colonies with no problems. The Red Whiptail Catfish reaches a modest length of just 4.4 inches, and it is a very thin fish that usually does not account for the bioload that many thicker fish of a similar length produce.
What We Like About This Fish:
- The Red Whiptail Catfish is a very colourful, peaceful, and hardy addition to almost any aquarium.
- At a maximum size of 4.4 inches (11 cm), this is a very practical and manageable fish.
- This fish will not bother most plants, but it will may help with algae control, especially as a juvenile. It will also scavenge and consume uneaten fish food.
- Unique appearance as well as plenty of personality.
RECOMMENDED TANK PARAMETERS:
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Temperature: 75° - 84° F (24° - 29° C)
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pH: 6.0 - 7.5
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KH: 2 - 15 dKH
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Minimum tank size: 30 gallons
CARE GUIDELINES:
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Diet: Omnivore, but meatier foods should be fed regularly along with vegetable matter. New specimens may require live/frozen foods
Social behaviour: Generally solitary, but will socialize somewhat, especially during breeding
