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Asian bumblebee catfish
A short-whiskered, banded nocturnal predator needing territory.
Irregular yellow-brown bands cross a dark body. Notice the short barbels, nasal barbels before the eyes, and a high rounded adipose fin.
- Adult length
- Up to 18 cm
- Water temperature
- 20–26 °C
- pH
- 5.8–7.8
- Hardness
- 4–25 dGH
Do not house it with fish small enough to swallow. Daytime hiding does not imply a harmless temperament.
Appearance and identification
Irregular yellow-brown bands cross a dark body. Notice the short barbels, nasal barbels before the eyes, and a high rounded adipose fin. P. stenomus lacks this bumblebee banding. The South American bumblebee catfish Microglanis iheringi is a different fish; similar common names do not make their care interchangeable.
Floor and movement space
Use subdued lighting and several refuges. Territorial behaviour towards other bottom-dwellers requires adequate space and broken sightlines.
Aquarium environment
Plants provide shade but do not replace territorial barriers. Shrimp safety and plant-damage frequency are unknown.
Diet and feeding
New arrivals may only eat after lights out. Offer sinking carnivore foods and suitable frozen foods, checking intake.
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