All fish / Loricariidae

Osvaldo's whiptail catfish

Rineloricaria osvaldoi

Also known as whiptail catfish, whiptail pleco, rineloricaria osvaldoi, osvaldo whiptail

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This is a slim, flattened loricariid with a long tail stalk ending in a filament, coloured brown with darker saddles that help it blend into sand and leaf litter. It is kept as a calm, unusual bottom dweller that grazes biofilm and leftover food without bothering tankmates.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

20 to 26 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Single or a small group with plenty of floor space

Diet

Omnivore: sinking pellets and wafers, blanched vegetables, bloodworm and other frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Upper Paraná River basin (Paranapanema drainage), Brazil

Breeding

Like other whiptails it is a cave or tube spawner, and the male guards and fans the eggs until they hatch. Breeding in captivity is reasonably achievable for related species when pipes or tubes are given, though records for this exact species are scarce.

Good to know

Rarely traded and easily confused with other Rineloricaria species, so identification by sellers may be unreliable. It prefers cooler, well oxygenated water with a soft sandy bottom.