Striped Raphael catfish care
Platydoras armatulus · Amazon, Paraguay–Paraná and lower Orinoco basins
Striped Raphael catfish (talking catfish) are armored, nocturnal catfish that grunt when lifted from the water.
- Tank size
- 55 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 75 to 81 °F (24 to 27 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 8 in (standard length, without the tail)
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10 to 20 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 55 gallon
48¼ × 12¾ × 21 in outsideHow to keep striped Raphael catfish
Striped Raphael catfish (talking catfish) are armored, nocturnal catfish that grunt when lifted from the water. One suits a 55 gallon or larger tank at 75 to 81 °F with caves to hide in by day; they are peaceful with fish too big to swallow and eat snails.
Diet: Omnivore: sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, snails. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Striped Raphael catfish tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Blood parrot cichlid
8 in · 55+ gal · 76–80 °F
Severum
8 in · 55+ gal · 75–84 °F
Angelfish
6 in · 29+ gal · 76–84 °F
Giant danio
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Electric blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Silver dollar
6 in · 75+ gal · 75–82 °F
Scissortail rasbora
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–79 °F
Keep apart
Green neon tetra: Adult striped Raphael catfish eat fish under about 1.2 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Chili rasbora: Adult striped Raphael catfish eat fish under about 1.2 in; chili rasboras grow to 0.8 in.
Celestial pearl danio: Adult striped Raphael catfish eat fish under about 1.2 in; celestial pearl danios grow to 1 in.
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: striped Raphael catfish need 75 to 81 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
Discus: No shared temperature: striped Raphael catfish need 75 to 81 °F, discus 82 to 88 °F.
Oscar: Oscars are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as striped Raphael catfish.
What a striped Raphael catfish tank needs
A tank of 55 US gallons or more (such as the 55 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 200
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon striped Raphael catfish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Seachem Tidal 55
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon striped Raphael catfish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 150
Striped Raphael catfish need 75 to 81 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding striped Raphael catfish.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 75 to 81 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 55 gallon tank · Heaters for a 55 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common striped Raphael catfish problems
- Do not catch them with a net: their fin spines lock out and tangle; use a container.
- Very small fish may be eaten at night.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Platydoras armatulus. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Striped Raphael catfish Piotr Kuczynski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blood parrot cichlid Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Severum Trisha M Shears, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue acara 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Silver dollar Greg Hume, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Scissortail rasbora Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chili rasbora JoKrimmel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Celestial pearl danio Cisamarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Oscar H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pygmy corydoras Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Salt-and-pepper corydoras D.W., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bronze corydoras Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Panda corydoras Chronotopian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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