All fish / Horabagridae

Bullseye Catfish

Horabagrus brachysoma

Also known as sun catfish, golden bullseye catfish, bullseye bagrid, günther's catfish, eye spot catfish, yellow catfish, gunther's catfish, ホラバグルス・ブラキソーマ, 黄金眼镜鲶, 太阳鲶

A sturdy golden-yellow catfish with a large black spot ringed in pale yellow just behind the gill cover, and four pairs of barbels. Keepers like it for its bold colour and the fact that it is more active by day than many catfish, especially when kept in a small group.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

30 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.8

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a group of 3 or more in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: sinking pellets, prawns, mussel, earthworms, fish fillet

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

India: rivers and backwaters of Kerala and Karnataka, Western Ghats

Breeding

Not reliably bred in home aquariums; captive production is mostly from Indian hatchery trials using hormone induction. Wild fish spawn in the monsoon season.

Good to know

Grows to 30 cm or more and will eat any fish that fits in its mouth, so keep only with large tankmates. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN because of overfishing and habitat loss in Kerala.