Origin:
Northern South America
Size:
6 inches
Aquarium Size:
140 litres
Preferred water conditions:
- Temp: 20 – 28°C
- pH: 6 – 8
- Hardness: Soft – Hard (unfussy)
Diet:
Hoplo Catfish are omnivorous and will accept a wide range of foods including flake, pellet, live, dried and frozen foods.
Behaviour:
A very sociable catfish, Hoplo Catfish will often patrol the front of the aquarium. They are not shy fish but will appreciate some cover within the aquarium.
Sexing:
The leading ray on the pectoral fin of males will be thicker and sometimes orangey in colour.
Breeding:
Hoplo catfish create bubble nests at the surface of the water. The breeding tank should have little surface agitation as this will destroy the nest. Floating plants can help to provide some structure on the surface. After spawning the male will protect the eggs and this is the only time a Hoplo can be particularly aggressive. Eggs hatch within a couple of days and will be free-swimming after 4 – 5 days. Parents have been known to eat fry so at this point the fry have a better chance if kept away from the parents.
Notes:
The Hoplo is a very sociable catfish that do well in community aquariums. With a maximum size of 6 inches, this is a fairly small catfish but they do require plenty of swimming space as they are quite active. In general, Hoplo are very peaceful but during spawning the male will protect his nest fiercely.