All fish / Loricariidae

Twig Catfish

Farlowella nattereri

Also known as twig catfish, stick catfish, natterer's twig catfish, farlowella, whiptail stick catfish, twig cat, ファロウエラ・ナッテレリ, ファロウエラ, 小精灵枯枝鲶, 枯枝鲶

A very slender, 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. Keepers like it for its odd shape and its calm habit of grazing algae from wood, glass and plants.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

100 litres

Keep as

Singly, in a pair or small group

Diet

Herbivore: algae and biofilm, sinking algae wafers, blanched courgette, cucumber and spinach

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Amazon and Orinoco basins: Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela

Breeding

Males guard eggs laid on the glass or on smooth surfaces until they hatch, and adult males grow bristles on the snout. It has bred in captivity, but raising the fry needs a mature tank with plenty of biofilm and very clean water.

Good to know

It is sensitive to poor water quality and starves easily in new, clean tanks, so only add it to a mature setup with steady algae. Avoid fast or boisterous tankmates that outcompete it for food.