All fish / Loricariidae

Graffin's Whiptail Catfish

Sturisoma graffini

Also known as whiptail catfish, royal farlowella, sturisoma, peruvian whiptail, graffin's sturisoma, スタリソーマ, 鲟身鲇

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This is a slender, flattened whiptail catfish with a long snout, a tall dorsal fin and long filaments on the tail. Its colouring is light brown with a dark stripe along each side. It was described in 2018 from the Madre de Dios basin in Peru and was named after the punk singer and biologist Greg Graffin. Keepers like it because it is a calm grazer and an unusual addition to a South American tank.

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

150 litres

Keep as

Single, pair or small group

Diet

Omnivore: algae wafers, blanched vegetables, biofilm, plus frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Peru (Madre de Dios River basin, upper Amazon)

Breeding

Like other Sturisoma, it probably spawns on smooth vertical surfaces such as the aquarium glass, and the male guards the eggs until they hatch. Captive breeding of this particular species has not been well documented, but related whiptails breed fairly readily in mature, well-oxygenated tanks.

Good to know

This species is newly described and seldom correctly labelled in the trade, so it is easily confused with other Sturisoma or with Farlowella. It needs clean, oxygen-rich water with some current and should not be kept with fin nippers or boisterous fish that take all the food.