Red lizard whiptail catfish care
Rineloricaria sp. · Rivers of southern Central America and northern and central South America (the genus)
Whiptail catfish are flat, slender suckermouth catfish with a long, whip-thin tail; the red lizard is a reddish-brown form sold widely.
- Tank size
- 20 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 79 °F (22 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 5 in (the usual adult size in its genus)
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 8 to 10 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 20 gallon long
30¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep red lizard whiptail catfish
Whiptail catfish are flat, slender suckermouth catfish with a long, whip-thin tail; the red lizard is a reddish-brown form sold widely. One or a few suit a 20 gallon or larger tank with sand, wood and gentle flow at 72 to 79 °F; they lie still on the bottom by day and graze and scavenge after dark.
Diet: Omnivore: sinking wafers, algae wafers, frozen bloodworm, blanched vegetables. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Red lizard whiptail 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.
Amazon puffer
5 in · 29+ gal · 74–82 °F
African butterflyfish
5 in · 30+ gal · 73–86 °F
Blind cave tetra
4.7 in · 29+ gal · 68–77 °F
Swordtail
5.5 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Angelfish
6 in · 29+ gal · 76–84 °F
Rosy barb
6 in · 29+ gal · 64–77 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Rainbow cichlid
6 in · 30+ gal · 72–84 °F
Keep apart
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as red lizard whiptail catfish.
Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as red lizard whiptail catfish.
Saulosi cichlid: Saulosi cichlids belong with other Lake Malawi cichlids, not with red lizard whiptail catfish.
Red-tail dwarf puffer: Red-tail dwarf puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Everglades pygmy sunfish: Everglades pygmy sunfish belong in a tank of their own.
What a red lizard whiptail catfish tank needs
A tank of 20 US gallons or more (such as the 20 gallon long) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 10
Rated by the maker for up to 20 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon red lizard whiptail catfish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon red lizard whiptail catfish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Red lizard whiptail catfish need 72 to 79 °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 red lizard whiptail 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 72 to 79 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 20 gallon tank · Heaters for a 20 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 red lizard whiptail catfish problems
- Fast, greedy bottom fish take their food; drop sinking wafers after the lights go out.
- Sharp gravel scrapes their bellies; use sand or smooth gravel.
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: Rineloricaria sp.. 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.
- Red lizard whiptail catfish Ckf6412, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amazon puffer O. Schneider, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- African butterflyfish Toniher, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blind cave tetra James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Swordtail Usien, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rosy barb Kkonstan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rainbow cichlid Happy Birthday To You!, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Jewel cichlid NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Saulosi cichlid Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red-tail dwarf puffer Neale Monks (English Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Everglades pygmy sunfish Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, 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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