Red-tailed catfish

Care at a glance

The red-tailed catfish from the Amazon, with its black-and-white markings and orange-red tail, is a beautiful fish, but it grows past a metre and to tens of kilos. In the wild it is regularly caught with whole fish and even unexpected objects in its stomach: anything it can work down, disappears.

That makes it unsuitable for home aquaria, however small it looks in the shop. Never release it into the wild; if it has outgrown your tank, contact a public aquarium or a specialised rehoming service.

Good to know

• Outgrows most home tanks
• Preys on shrimp and snails
• Active at night

Best not combined with

• Neon tetraParacheirodon innesi
• GuppyPoecilia reticulata
• CorydorasCorydoras spp.

Related species

• Iridescent sharkPangasianodon hypophthalmus
• Zebra loachBotia striata
• Dwarf chain loachAmbastaia sidthimunki
• Royal plecoPanaque nigrolineatus
• Angelicus loach (polka-dot loach)Botia kubotai
• Rubber lip plecoChaetostoma milesi