All fish / Loricariidae

Twig Catfish

Farlowella hahni

Also known as twig catfish, hahn's twig catfish, stick catfish, farlowella catfish, whiptail catfish, farlowella, ファロウェラ・ハーニ, 小枝鲶, 枯枝鲶

This is a very thin, stick-like suckermouth catfish with a long snout and a brown body marked by a dark stripe along each side, so it looks just like a twig. Aquarists keep it because it is unusual, very peaceful and grazes on algae in a quiet planted tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

20 to 26 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

100 litres

Keep as

Singly, in pairs or a small group

Diet

Herbivore: algae, blanched vegetables, algae wafers, with occasional small meaty foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Paraná and Paraguay river basins (Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil)

Breeding

The female lays eggs on smooth surfaces such as glass or wood, and the male guards them until they hatch after about a week. Spawning in captivity has been reported, but raising the fry is hard because they need a constant supply of algae and fine foods.

Good to know

It is easily outcompeted for food and often starves in new tanks, so offer a mature, algae-rich setup and avoid boisterous tankmates. It needs clean, well-oxygenated water with some current.