All fish / Loricariidae

Twig Catfish

Farlowella gracilis

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

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This very slender armoured catfish looks like a brown twig, with a long snout and a thin tail stalk that ends in long filaments. People keep it for its unusual shape and its calm habit of grazing algae from wood, glass and leaves.

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

Singly, in a pair or a small group

Diet

Herbivore: algae, blanched vegetables, algae wafers, some small frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Upper Amazon basin in Colombia (Caquetá river system)

Breeding

Males guard eggs laid on glass or smooth wood in flowing, well oxygenated water and develop bristles on the snout when mature. Spawning has been achieved in home aquariums, but rearing the fry needs plenty of algae and very clean water.

Good to know

It is a weak competitor for food and does poorly with boisterous tankmates or in new tanks lacking algae and biofilm. Many fish sold under this name are actually other Farlowella species, which are hard to tell apart.