All fish / Loricariidae

Twig Catfish

Farlowella altocorpus

Also known as twig catfish, stick catfish, whiptail catfish, farlowella, ファーロウェラ, 小精灵枝鲶

No free-to-use photo of this fish yet. Took one yourself? Send it to us and we will credit you.

This Bolivian stick catfish has a long, thin brown body with a pointed snout, so it looks very much like a twig. It is a little deeper and broader in the body than other Farlowella species. Keepers like it as a calm, unusual grazer that helps clean algae and biofilm in planted tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

100 litres

Keep as

Single, pair or small group

Diet

Herbivore: biofilm, algae, algae wafers, blanched courgette and spinach, plus a little frozen food

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Bolivia (upper Madeira/Mamoré basin)

Breeding

Like other Farlowella, the male probably guards eggs laid on glass or smooth surfaces until they hatch. The genus has been bred in home aquariums, but this species is rarely seen in the trade and there are no reliable captive breeding records for it.

Good to know

It needs clean, well-oxygenated water and a steady supply of biofilm or vegetable foods. Without them it can slowly starve, and it struggles to compete with boisterous tankmates. Shops often sell it simply as a twig catfish alongside similar Farlowella species.