All fish / Loricariidae

Short-nosed Twig Catfish

Farlowella curtirostra

Also known as twig catfish, stick catfish, short nose farlowella, farlowella, whiptail catfish, ファロウェラ, 小鼻枯枝鲶

A very slender, stick-like armoured catfish with a shorter snout than most Farlowella, coloured brown with a dark stripe along each side. It is kept for its unusual twig camouflage and its gentle habit of grazing algae on wood, glass and plants.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

100 litres

Keep as

Single or a pair; groups work in larger tanks

Diet

Herbivore: algae, biofilm, sinking algae wafers, blanched vegetables such as courgette and cucumber

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Venezuela (Lake Maracaibo basin)

Breeding

Males guard eggs laid on glass or smooth wood and develop bristles on the snout when mature. Captive spawning is achieved now and then in mature, well-oxygenated tanks, but raising the fry needs plenty of algae and fine foods.

Good to know

Needs clean, well-oxygenated water and a steady supply of algae and biofilm, so it does poorly in new tanks or with boisterous, competitive feeders. Often sold under the general name Farlowella and confused with other twig catfish species.