Twig catfish care
Farlowella vittata · Rivers of Colombia and Venezuela
The twig catfish is a stick-thin brown catfish that grows to about 9 inches without the tail and hides by looking like a twig.
- Tank size
- 30 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 79 °F (22 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 8.9 in (standard length, without the tail)
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 8 to 10 years
- Diet
- Grazer
- Care level
- Demanding
In a 30 gallon
36¼ × 12⅝ × 16¾ in outsideHow to keep twig catfish
The twig catfish is a stick-thin brown catfish that grows to about 9 inches without the tail and hides by looking like a twig. It needs a mature, planted 30 gallon or larger tank with plenty of algae and biofilm to graze, clean water and calm tank mates that leave the food for it.
Diet: Grazer: algae and biofilm, algae wafers, blanched vegetables. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Twig 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.
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
Electric blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Scissortail rasbora
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–79 °F
Rainbow cichlid
6 in · 30+ gal · 72–84 °F
Blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Swordtail
5.5 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Keep apart
Discus: No shared temperature: twig catfish need 72 to 79 °F, discus 82 to 88 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Amazon puffer: Amazon puffers nip slow fish such as twig catfish.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as twig catfish.
Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as twig catfish.
Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as twig catfish.
What a twig catfish tank needs
A tank of 30 US gallons or more (such as the 30 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 20
Rated by the maker for up to 30 US gal, which covers a 30 gallon twig 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 30 gallon twig catfish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Fluval E100
Twig 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 twig 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.
We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common twig catfish problems
- It starves in a new or very clean tank; add it to a mature tank with algae and feed wafers and vegetables daily.
- Fast, greedy tank mates take its food.
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: Farlowella vittata. 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.
- Twig catfish Francesco Loda (CONTERALLY), CC BY 3.0, 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
- Electric blue acara 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Scissortail rasbora Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rainbow cichlid Happy Birthday To You!, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blue acara Loïc Tremblay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Swordtail Usien, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amazon puffer O. Schneider, CC BY-SA 3.0, 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
- Demasoni cichlid lee Nachtigal, 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
