Shane's World

Greetings and welcome to Shane's World. The goal of this resource is to provide a place where the aquarist and scientist alike can learn and exchange information on Siluriformes (catfishes). When Planet's owner Jools and I discussed this at length (in the mid 1990's), Shane's World was born! Here we have articles from me and a great number of other folks from right across the catfish world. They are roughly grouped into general catfish articles ('Catfishology'), those relating to Geography, Reproduction and Species categories as you see below. Dive in!

General articles from authors who just want to write about catfish in the aquarium and the wild. The 'Catfish Basics' series is especially useful for the aquarist new to the catfish hobby. There are 47 Catfishology articles, listed by by title. Alternatively, list by latest date published.

A catfish keepers guide to dissolved oxygen by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
The importance of DO is often overlooked or misunderstood. As more and more delicate species of catfish become available, understanding this aspect of their husbandry becomes increasingly useful.

Apisto Heaven by Julian Dignall (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Want to see catfish, first hand, in their natural habitats? This article introduces a Brazilian option for the budding aqua-tourist looking further much further afield than their LFS.

Aquascaping for Hypancistrus zebra
Pt 1, The Perfectionist by Håvard Støre Andresen (uploaded December 09, 2008)
A brief and inspirational look at really hardcore aquaria design for the the zebra pleco.

Pt 2, The Rest of Us by Håvard Støre Andresen (uploaded December 09, 2008)
In which Håvard creates authentic and good looking aquaria that are simpler to create.

Catfish Legends & Lore
Pt 1, How the catfish got a flat head by Heok Hee Ng (uploaded January 01, 2002)
This is a series on folklore and legends from around the world that feature catfishes as their main characters. People usually do not think that catfishes are not prominent (or interesting) enough animals to be featured in folklore, but a careful search reveals that there are still some interesting stories, as the first of this series will show.

Pt 2, Fishy tales of the namazu (Silurus asotus) by Heok Hee Ng (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Off to the Far East in part two of the continuing seris examining catfish in myth and legend.

Corydoras 101 by Julian Dignall (uploaded April 09, 2013)
Some common Corydoras to consider as good starter species for anyone interested in starting out with these evergreen, omnipresent and hugely popular catfish.

DIY Blackwater: Make your Own Oak Leaf Extract by Deborah Claro Childress (uploaded July 03, 2009)
A hands-on, how-to article with pictures demonstrating both the fun and the practicalities of this useful fishkeeping project.

Feeding Plecos
Pt 1, Types of food by Mats Petersson (uploaded January 01, 2002)
The first part of this two part article deals with food preparation and what types of food can be offered.

Pt 2, Who eats what? by Mats Petersson (uploaded January 29, 2010)
Overview of techniques used in observing what your pleco eats and information on the diets of various groups.

Fishkeeping Basics by Rupert Collins (uploaded October 08, 2007)
New to keeping aquariums? Start here! An entry level guide for new hobbyists.

Getting into a sticky situation: methods of adhesion in catfishes by Heok Hee Ng (uploaded January 01, 2002)
This fascinating article describes the various devices employed by fast water catfishes to stay put.

How to tell a ''real'' from a ''fake'' by Heok Hee Ng (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Discussion and examples of hybrid Synodontis appearing in the hobby.

Hydroelectric dam constructions in Amazonas by Janne Ekström (uploaded December 23, 2007)
A conservation piece looking at the impact of proposed dam constructions in the Amazon basin that suggests what the hobbyist might do about it.

In Search of the World's Largest Catfish by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
As many heated debates in the forums will testify, there are many catfish species out there that grow well beyond our ambitions to keep them in captivity. Shane goes in search of the biggest of them all.

Index of Catfish Study Group Journals by Julian Dignall (uploaded February 26, 2018)
The Catfish Study Group has been publishing its Journal since the start of the millennium. This is an index of all articles in which there can be found many hidden gems.

Just Say Pleco by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
An introductory look a why we call these fish 'Plecos' and other associated nuggets of knowledge.

Keeping Catfish With Large Cichlids by Chris Ralph (uploaded January 01, 2002)
We are often asked what catfish that can be kept with the larger cichlids, herein lies a few suggestions.

Pt 2, The second half? by Julian Dignall (uploaded September 30, 2022)
Updated graphical analysis of the introduction rate of l-number plecos from inception to 2021.

L's Belles - Loricariid Analysis
Pt 1, The Glory Years by Mats Petersson (uploaded July 15, 2010)
Graphical analysis of the introduction rate of l-number plecos from inception to mid 2010.

List of original C-numbers by Julian Dignall (uploaded June 21, 2015)
A list of links to PDF format documents of all C-numbers as hosted on the DATZ magazine website.

List of original l-numbers by Julian Dignall (uploaded May 16, 2014)
A list of links to PDF format documents of all L-numbers as hosted on the DATZ magazine website.

Natural Catfish Aquarium
Pt 1, Understanding habitats by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Thoughts on how to make you aquarium more appealing to both you and your catfishes. The first part looks at habitats and how to go about recreating them.

Pt 2, Materials and Techniques by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
The second part of this series tackles some of the practicalities of creating a natural set-up.

On Cephalosilurus nigricaudus and C. apurensis by Wolfgang Ros (uploaded July 26, 2008)
In which the author describes the differences that can be used by the aquarist to identify the former species.

Otocinclus - ''Little Monkeys'' in the planted aquarium by D & R Lalkaka (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Originally written for publication in a 'planted aquaria' magazine, this article deals with the taxonomy of these and related species along with some very help advice on acclimatization to the planted tank.

Pimelodid Crosses by Lee Finley (uploaded January 01, 2002)
List of all known hybrids amongst these large amazon predators.

Plants and Plecos by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
An introductory look at what plecos will and won't view most of the contents of your superb planted tank as lunch.

Remote photography of catfish by Håvard Støre Andresen (uploaded May 04, 2009)
A unique "How-to" article on catfish photography from an author whos photographs speak for themselves.

The Catfish Basics Series
Pt 1, Choosing and Housing Your Catfish by Julian Dignall (uploaded January 01, 2002)
So you want some catfish for your community tank? This is the article for you.

Pt 2, Feeding Your Catfish by Chris Ralph (uploaded January 01, 2002)
So, you've got some catfish swimming around in your aquarium. What should you feed them? The same as the other fish? Do all catfish have the same dietary requirements? Of course not! Read on.

Pt 3, How To See Your Catfish by Chris Ralph (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Many catfish encountered by the newbie, perhaps within their first few catfish purchases will never been seen again once they enter the realms of a well-planet or decorated tank. Here we offer some advice on dealing with the fact that often a catfish is happiest when you can't see it.

Pt 4, How to spot a catfish geek! by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
We've talked about how to spot your catfish, now follows a lighthearted 'intermission' in the series where Shane (with a little help from others) observes what it means to be well on the way to being a true catfish geek (or, for UK readers, a catfish anorak).

Pt 5, The Families of the Order Siluriformes by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
An overview using the latest review of the classification of all catfish families. This article (in contrast to the previous) is a serious must for all catfish fans looking to the wider picture and setting out on gaining some appreciation of the diversity of catfishes worldwide. If you're OK with this article then you're no longer a catfish newbie.

Pt 6, Filtration by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Each type of filtration has distinct advantages and disadvantages to the catfish hobbyist and this article explains how to choose the best type of filtration for specific type of catfish.

Pt 7, Selection, Acclimatization, and Quarantine by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
OK, so you've seen the fish in a book, you've seen the fish at your LFS. Read this before you make your next move.

Pt 8, Telling the Boys From the Girls by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Curious about the gender of your catfish? This introductory articles looks at some of the differences you can expect to find and provides pointers in determining if a successful breeding project might be on the horizon.

Pt 9, An Attempt to Spawn On Demand by Adrian Taylor (uploaded December 02, 2006)
Selecting the Peppered Cory, Corydoras paleatus, as an example, the author discusses the basics of captive spawning attempts and his results with a commonly bred "entry level" species.

The Colours of Corydoras by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Analysis and comparison of the various colour forms of 'Corydoras aeneus' available.

The Eel-tail banjo catfish Platystacus cotylephorus by Ingo Seidel (uploaded September 13, 2008)
An extraordinary 'frying pan catfish' with a spectacular secretive strategy for care of its young.

The identity of the common bristlenose by Ingo Seidel (uploaded August 16, 2008)
Here the author examines the origins and lookalikes of this commonly encountered but still fully undetermined pleco.

The mysteries of the Blue Eyed Pleco
Pt 1, Panaque cochliodon by Shane Linder (uploaded August 02, 2008)
In part one, Shane delves into what we know about this enigmatic species.

The Proper Way To Condition Plecos by Larry Vires (uploaded January 01, 2002)
It's not all cucumber and lettuce you know - the lowdown on what to feed your Plecos.

The White Seam Bristlenoses by Ingo Seidel (uploaded October 10, 2008)
The author discusses catfish of the so-called Ancistrus hoplogenys group in depth.

The yellow seamed “Golden Nugget” – a problem pleco? by Ingo Seidel (uploaded November 04, 2008)
An in-depth on this group of l-numbered plecos that provides solid information for those wishing to keep them correctly.

Unravelling the Arched Corys by Julian Dignall (uploaded March 12, 2022)
The story of the narcissus group of corys goes back almost a century. Centred around the resolution of an old misidentification, this article tells their complex story from front to back.

Water Chemistry and the Catfish by Rupert Collins (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A look into the terms often used in aquatic conversations, but sometimes without as much understanding as this article seeks to provide.

Articles on the reproduction of individual species with details from the aquarists that have kept them. There are 76 Reproduction articles, listed by by title. Alternatively, list by latest date published.

Peckoltia vittata and L080, two similar species by Janne Ekström (uploaded May 27, 2007)
As the author explains, these two species are excellent candidates for someone just starting off breeding some of the less commonly bred plecos.

A Chance Spawning of Chaetostoma sp. (L444) by Rob Torrens (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Notes on an community tank chance spawning of the most common rubbernose or bulldog pleco.

A chance spawning of the Asian Bumblebee by Megan Gallagher (uploaded June 22, 2012)
A surprising article which should be read by anyone interested in catfish breeding, bagrids and generally thinking about how a whole bunch of catfishes might just be spawned.

All About Zebra Plecos by Christophe Girardet (uploaded January 01, 2002)
One man's experiences with selecting, keeping and breeding the enigmatic Hypancistrus zebra.

Ancistrinae Internet Lecture by Ingo Seidel (uploaded January 01, 2002)
The seminal transcript of an online lecture giving a vast amount of information and pictures concerning this group of plecos. Want to breed L-numbers? Read on...

Breeding Aspidoras pauciradiatus by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)
General information on spawning this species.

Breeding Baryancistrus beggini, the Blue Fin Panaque or L239 by Geoff Haglund (uploaded July 05, 2010)
One of the first recorded spawning accounts of this increasingly popular little species.

Breeding Brochis splendens by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)
General information on spawning this species.

Breeding Corydoras aeneus 'Peru Green' by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)
General information on spawning this colour variation of the every popular Bronze Cory.

Breeding Corydoras axelrodi by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Breeding Corydoras duplicareus by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Breeding Corydoras gossei by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Breeding Corydoras habrosus by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Breeding Corydoras napoensis by Yann Fulliquet (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Breeding Corydoras oiapoquensis by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Breeding Corydoras pygmaeus by Kaycy Ruffer (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Breeding Corydoras sterbai by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Breeding Farlowella by Amanda Parker (uploaded February 07, 2010)
The author describes the breeding of two species from the genus in a thorough and descriptive article.

Breeding Peckoltia compta by Janne Ekström (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Spawning account and information on rearing this beautiful L number.

Breeding Peckoltia vittata by Janne Ekström (uploaded January 01, 2002)
The author describes why this is a great choice of pleco for a breeding project with "mid-range experience" aquarists in mind.

Breeding Pseudacanthicus leopardus by Marina Parha and George J. Reclos (uploaded November 23, 2008)
Accounts of the spawning of this species, and it's close relative (L114) across two populations kept by aquarists in Manchester, England and Athens, Greece.

Breeding Pseudacanthicus spinosus by Mingxin Guo (uploaded December 02, 2009)
A journal style account of breeding this medium sized pleco.

Breeding Scleromystax barbatus by Don Kinyon (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Breeding Scleromystax prionotos by Adrian Taylor (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A thorough spawning report on this Corydoras-like species.

Breeding Tatia intermedia by Graham Ramsay (uploaded January 12, 2010)
Woodcats, or more formally auchenipterids, are not commonly bred catfish. Here the author gives an interesting account of what turns out to be a really prolific species.

Breeding Ancistrus sp. `Rio Tocantins` by Yann Fulliquet (uploaded January 20, 2008)
More breeding successes like that documented herein may see this attractive and prolific species establish itself as a popular aquarium catfish.

Breeding Chaca by Klaus Dreymann (uploaded February 13, 2016)
A full spawning account including raising the fry and thoughts on behaviour of the adults of this highly unusual species.

Breeding Hypancistrus sp. Queen Arabesque L260 by Janne Ekström (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Account of multiple spawning of this pretty species including spawning set-up and trigger information.

Breeding L128 by Andreas Bjørvik (uploaded May 29, 2011)
Less commonly seen than <em>Hemiancistrus subviridis</em>, this personal and vivid account of spawning L128, is an equally rare article well worth the potential breeders consideration.

Breeding L147 by Janne Ekström (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Apparently the first documented spawning of this attractive pleco. An in-depth article with plenty of images too.

Breeding LDA25, Parotocinclus jumbo by Kim Mathiasen (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A short set of notes on breeding this interesting dwarf utility pleco.

Breeding the banjo catfish, Bunocephalus coracoideus by Eric Thomas (uploaded June 15, 2016)
Aquarium spawning of this species is not documented in the modern era. Now it is.

Breeding the Medusa Pleco, Ancistrus ranunculus by Geoff Haglund (uploaded November 01, 2012)
A report of several spawnings and attempts to raise the fry of this unusual Brazilian bristlenose species by an aquarist in New Zealand.

Breeding the Porthole Catfish by Torill Nordeide Berge (uploaded January 19, 2015)
A rare account of the repeated spawning of this medium sized armoured catfish.

Can Ancistrus hybridise? by Sandor Tüllmann (uploaded May 14, 2014)
The topic of potential hybridization within the genus Ancistrus is frequently and hotly debated on the internet, but only rarely seriously discussed. The author sets out to settle the debate once and for all.

Captive spawning of Glass Catfish by Kat Bolstad (uploaded October 27, 2012)
An account of an "accidental" spawning of the common Glass Catfish, <em>Kryptopterus minor</em>, in a hobbyists community tank.

Care and breeding of the oil catfish Centromochlus perugiae by Achim Werckenthin (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Keeping & breeding Hypancistrus sp. L262 by Marina Parha and George J. Reclos (uploaded January 15, 2009)
As suggested by the title, this is an in-depth look, with many photos, at the reproduction and care of this species.

Keeping and Breeding Sturisomatichthys leightoni by Paul E. Turley (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Detailed article on maintenance, care and breeding this elegant loricariid. Pretty much everything you need to know about the dwarf royal twig catfish.

Keeping and Breeding Corydoras zygatus by Yann Fulliquet (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Keeping and spawning Peckoltia sabaji by Janne Ekström (uploaded December 04, 2007)
Not one of the commonly spawned species, Janne takes us through the spawning of this most courteous of plecos.

L174 and L316, two small and similar Hypancistrus species by Janne Ekström (uploaded January 01, 2002)


L28, an undescribed species of Hypancistrus from the Rio Guamá by Yann Fulliquet (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Spawning account including the trials and tribulations of raising fry.

Maintaining and Spawning Albino Ancistrus by Don Danko (uploaded January 01, 2002)
First class photography by the author accompanies this thorough article on spawning the albino bristlenose.

Making beacons, the spawning of L091. by Andrew Coxon (uploaded May 13, 2014)
Details the reproduction of <em>Leporacanthicus triactis</em>, L091 or the Three Beacon Pleco.

Making Sunshine in Indonesia by Rajanta Sinardja Rahardja (uploaded December 07, 2011)
The successful spawning and rearing of the majestic L014, Sunshine or Goldie Pleco, <em>Scobinancistrus aureatus</em>.

My experiences breeding L144 by Knut Kjesbu (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Another Ancistrus species, but one that has more than it's fair share of mystery.

Notes on a spawning of Dianema urostriata by Dennis Rawlinson (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Discussion of an, unfortunately, unsuccessful attempt to rear the eggs of the flag-tailed porthole cat after a spawning.

Notes on a spawning of Loricaria simillima by Andy White (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Detailed article on maintenance, care and breeding this variable Loricariid.

Notes on Breeding Sturisoma by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Well researched background information on the royal whiptail catfish.

Notes on keeping and spawning Hypancistrus inspector by Haakon Haagensen (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Information on this distinctive pleco AKA L102.

Observations of Breeding Corydoras weitzmani. by Paul Belanger (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Notes from one of the first aquarium spawnings of this very attractive species that is surely to become an aquarium staple.

Pleco Breeding Techniques by Larry Vires (uploaded January 01, 2002)
The transcript of an online lecture given in the PlanetCatfish chatroom by Larry on Saturday 24th January 2004.

Raising Sturisoma by Larry Waybright (uploaded September 18, 2009)
Although aquarium spawning among members of this genus is reasonably common, raising the fry is nowhere near as straightforward. Here the author shares his experiences with this challenge.

Reproduction in Microglanis by Des Penny (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Background information on a chance spawning of the South American bumblebee catfish.

So you want to breed Corys? by Ian Fuller (uploaded January 01, 2002)
THE introductory article on this subject from one of the world's foremost Corydoras breeders.

Spawning Synodontis multipunctatus & S. lucipinnis by Jerry Miranda (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A pictorial account of the spawning of these two Tanganyikan species including adult fry & spawning shots. Also with an article with thoughts on the spawning of the former.

Spawning Hypancistrus zebra by Kevin Korotev (uploaded January 01, 2002)
An in-depth article on spawning this enigmatic species.

Spawning Panaque maccus by Erlend D Bertelsen (uploaded November 01, 2007)
An uncommon spawning record of this common pleco.

Spawning Panaque sp, L204 by Janne Ekström (uploaded October 30, 2007)
Detailed account of spawning one of the prettiest L-number plecos.

Spawning Parotocinclus spilosoma by Derek Heath (uploaded January 01, 2002)
This species is an occasionally imported hardy Dwarf Sucker that should be much more popular than it is, here is a spawning account.

Spawning Pseudacanthicus sp. L025, the scarlet cactus pleco by Christophe Girardet (uploaded May 14, 2009)
An honest, step-by-step, account of the first reported spawning of this imposing species in captivity.

Spawning Rineloricaria cf. lanceolata by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Spawning Synodontis schoutedeni by Eric Bodrock (uploaded September 19, 2009)
There are very few reporting spawings from this family of African catfish, so this article is a very welcome addition.

Spawning Erethistes jerdoni by Adrian Taylor (uploaded October 27, 2016)
Keeping small fishes can be hard, spawning them and raising the fry is no mean feat.

Spawning L066 by Andy White (uploaded January 01, 2002)
An in-depth account of the spawning of the King Tiger Pleco, L066 including pictures from the spawning tank.

Spawning Microsynodontis sp(1) by Eric Thomas (uploaded January 10, 2021)


Spawning The Dwarf Hoplo, Lepthoplosternum sp. by Reet Thomas (uploaded January 01, 2002)
General information on the spawning of this smaller armoured catfish.

Spawning, Embryo & Fry Development in Farlowella vittata by Bruce Brethauer (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Breath-taking close-up photography compliments this account of multiple Twig Catfish spawning.

Spawning, Embryo & Fry Development in Sturisoma aureum by Bruce Brethauer (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Once again, superb close-up photography compliments this account of spawning.

Successful Spawning of Lasiancistrus tentaculus by Pete Liptrot (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A report on the chance, and perhaps first, spawning of this loricariid AKA L092.

Successful spawning of the wonderful WanderWels, Clarias batrachus by Wolfgang Ros (uploaded January 01, 2002)
An in-depth account of the spawning of the walking catfish with many instructive photos.

The Dwarf Sucker, Otocinclus vestitus by Paul Kjærland (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Information and pictures on the simple and successful spawning of this diminutive delight.

The mysterious Red Lizard Catfish by Sandor Tüllmann (uploaded December 23, 2009)
Notes on a mysterious catfish which has a story to tell and this, as well as a breeding account is contained in this article.

Triggering reproduction with the Walking Catfish (Clarias batrachus) by Wolfgang Ros (uploaded September 29, 2007)
A second report on the reproduction of this species from the same author who investigates further the triggers and behaviour of these charismatic bruisers.

Wild caught or captive bred? by Eric Thomas (uploaded October 14, 2018)
The author provides advice for buying new fish you plan to breed and examines how to manage your spawns.

A collection of articles by various authors on the catfish of different regions of the world. Features Shane's Venezuela Diary. There are 44 Geography articles, listed by by title. Alternatively, list by latest date published.

A Scotsman in the Xingu
Pt 1, Rockpooling in paradise by Julian Dignall (uploaded November 22, 2020)
Since the 1990's, getting to this Brazilian river has been on the author's mind. Much more recently, it became a reality.

Pt 2, More river, the Dam and the Zebra by Julian Dignall (uploaded January 31, 2020)
Where we travel to the Belo Monte Dam and swim with zebras.

Pt 3, It's not all cracked rocks you know! by Julian Dignall (uploaded May 03, 2021)
Other biotopes of well known, and not so well known, Xingu plecos.

Brazilian Parotocinclus by Hans-Georg Evers (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A large article on certain representatives of this small suckermouth genus. Also includes discussion of a few other loricariids.

Catfish Spelunking in Mexico by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Spelunking is the pursuit of exploration of caves, pot-holes and, in this case, Mexican cenotes with their own peculiar catfish in residence.

Catfishes From The Rift Lakes Of Africa by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
List of the various catfishes known to exist in these huge lakes.

Collecting Noturus by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Similar to the ''Collecting Ictalurids'' article, but with specific habitat information for this North American native.

Exploring West Bengal for aquarium fishes by Antti Vuorela (uploaded April 14, 2007)
India is a remarkable country, equally remarkable are its aquarium fishes. Specifically catfishes are detailed by our intrepid correspondents in this report from but a corner of this vast country.

In Search of Corydoras boesemani by Ingo Seidel (uploaded June 28, 2010)
A first trip to unfamiliar Surinam provides the author with the opportunity to document the habitat and aquarium care and breeding of this pretty species.

In search of Corydoras carlae by Hans-Georg Evers (uploaded April 02, 2010)
Collecting trips to Argentina are uncommon at least in relation to several other South American countries. This article details the search by a multinational group of aquarists for an even more uncommon Cory.

Indian Subcontinent Catfish Bibliography by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Brief notes on a selection of books and papers containing more information on these fish.

My First Collecting Trip by Amanda Parker (uploaded December 28, 2008)
A personal account of a first time at the riverbank.

The Catfishes of Asia Series
Pt 1, Family Bagridae by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A five page article introducing the various families from this geographic region with emphasis on the taxonomy of the fishes involved.

Pt 2, Family Bagridae (contd.) by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Pt 3, Family Bagridae (contd.) by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Pt 4, Family Chacidae by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Pt 5, Exotic Imports by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)


The Peru 2000 Series
Pt 1, Overview by Julian Dignall (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Pt 2, Fish List by Julian Dignall (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A pictorial account of our webmasters first visit to South America. Plenty of catfish and much more besides.

Pt 3, Jools' Pictures by Julian Dignall (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Pt 4, Robin's Pictures by Robin Warne (uploaded January 01, 2002)


The Venezuelan Diary Series
Pt 1, Beginnings by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Everything has to start somewhere.

Pt 2, Around the Rio Guaire by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
First encounter with Corydoras and more besides.

Pt 3, Return to the Rio Zuata by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Where our intrepid host encounters some Loricariids and enlists the help of some locals in their capture.

Pt 4, Cano Canoa by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
In which more catfish captures are made at a different location in Northern Venezuela.

Pt 5, Rio Guarico by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
More catfish collections and thoughts on a river biotope set-up.

Pt 6, Rio Zuata and Giant Chaetostoma by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A surprise awaits in this diary entry - the collection of a giant Chaetostoma - this prompts thoughts on a biotope aquarium for it.

Pt 7, Fishing for Hypostomus by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A fascinating account of how locals fish for Hypostomus catfish burrowed in river bank walls.

Pt 8, Rio Tarma by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
More catfish catches including an encounter with a broody bristlenose.

Pt 9, L106, L122 and other adventures by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Pt 10, Notes on some Venezuelan fishes by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A chance encounter with another Aquarist brings some interesting information to light.

Pt 11, Casa Maria by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Where Shane finds 'paradise' in a surprising location.

Pt 12, Rio Guarico in the Dry Season by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Large whiptails abound as Shane enlists the help of some locals in catfish collection.

Pt 13, Rio Santo Domingo / Rio Tinaco :: Pt I by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
More collecting turns up some Corydoras, which prompts a discussion on wild fish colouration.

Pt 14, Rio Santo Domingo / Rio Tinaco :: Pt II by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Great Pleco collecting is the order of the day in the second instalment of this article.

Pt 15, The hunt for Farlowella acus by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
An excellent account of this locate and collect mission to document the habitat of this commonly misidentified catfish.

Pt 16, Rios Tuy and Guare by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)


Pt 17, Rio Guapo and Cano Mendoza by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Shane takes a new recruit in search of fish (namely Piranha or Caribe as they are known locally) and gets a local lesson in biological filtration.

Pt 18, The Flooded Llanos by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Some fascinating notes on this seasonal habitat and some somber ones on Sept. 11th.

Pt 19, The Rios Aragua and Tuy by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Collecting these locations turns up more Chaetostoma and leads the author to further ID successes.

There and Back Again: Bolivia by Daniel Konn-Vetterlein (uploaded April 09, 2022)
This article points the spotlight on Bolivia's Rio Blanco and its 130 or more species of fish.

Uganda Diaries
Pt 1, Lake Nabugabo by Shane Linder (uploaded September 28, 2009)
An initial foray into Ugandan waters turns up a familiar face.

Pt 2, Uganda's Papyrus Swamps by Shane Linder (uploaded January 25, 2010)
In which our intrepid correspondent checks out this new, and quintessentially African, central African biotope.

Wild Caught Ictalurids by Shane Linder (uploaded October 30, 1998)
Insight into a collecting trip (October 1998) for native fishes in South East Virginia, USA. This has been updated with more information from another trip (July 1999) to the same locality.

Articles on individual and groups of species with notes from the aquarists that have kept them. There are 24 Species articles, listed by by title. Alternatively, list by latest date published.

''Madtoms'' in Asia by Heok Hee Ng (uploaded January 01, 2002)
An overview of the Catfishes of the family Amblycipitidae

Ancistrus 101
Pt 1, The Basics by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
The lowdown on Ancistrus covering most of the common questions regarding these excellent community plecos.

Pt 2, Spawning Techniques and Fry Rearing by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Once you've keeping them hale and hearty, this article takes you to the next level - how to become a pleco breeder.

Calophysus macropterus, A "shark" in the freshwater aquarium by Wolfgang Ros (uploaded June 05, 2008)
Co-written with Jakob Schmidt, the authors enthusiastically report on this striking predatory catfish that might just be within the limits of some aquarists tanks.

Pimelodus ornatus: A piece of jewellery in the aquarium by Wolfgang Ros (uploaded August 22, 2009)
We've already covered the species in the catfish of the month section, otherwise this article would be there. It's an in-depth look at this most suitable of Pimelodids.

A Guide to the Identification of Plecos by Sandor Tüllmann (uploaded April 18, 2009)
In which the author takes us through all the genera of the largest group of loricariids, the Hypostominae, home of virtually of the l-numbers.

A voracious ambush-predator not without charm by Wolfgang Ros (uploaded July 07, 2007)
The husbandry of one of the more unusual big cats, Cephalosilurus apurensis is discussed in detail.

An English translation of the description of Corydoras julii by Daniel Konn-Vetterlein (uploaded September 03, 2020)
Corydoras julii is one of the most commonly misused names in the catfish realm. This translation provides a short description translated from the original German to English.

Feeding Chaca chaca by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Angler or Ambusher? How to ensure your frogmouth catfish remain well fed.

How to Put a Tandanus in Your Tank by David Wilson (uploaded July 03, 2009)
The author describes how he caught three Australian eel tail catfish (dewfish) Tandanus tandanus with rod and line. They are easy to keep in captivity, but grow large.

L014: The Sunshine Pleco from the Rio Xingu by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
The low down on one of THE species responsible for 'L' number pleco popularity.

Los Panaques, The Canoe-Eating Catfish of South America
Pt 1, How Many Panaque? by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
The first part of this article deals with some background, taxonomy and discusses all varieties currently known.

Madtom links by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A collection of links to other sites featuring these North Americans.

Notes on L280 by Erwin Schraml (uploaded January 01, 2002)
The initially questionable introduction of a new L Number.

Notes on the Lancers of the genus Bagrichthys by Heok Hee Ng (uploaded January 01, 2002)
An overview of this small but much sought after genus of Asian catfish.

Parasitic Catfishes in the Aquarium by Shane Linder (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Surrounded in fearsome myth and lore, this family of catfish actually contains many benign species; Shane recounts his experiences with one species that certainly is not.

Partial translation of Kner's "Die Hypostomiden. Zweite Hauptgruppe der Familie der Panzerfische" by Sandor Tüllmann (uploaded June 10, 2012)
This translation from the original 1854 German text by Prof. Dr. R. Kner focusses on the descriptions of three species of flounder pleco from Brazil's Rio Negro.

The genus Microsynodontis by Steven Grant (uploaded January 01, 2002)
A pictorial guide to the genus.

Pt 2, First captive spawning by Robert Budrovcan (uploaded July 23, 2013)
Translated from the original German article which explains how the first breeding success took place and how the fishes become white.

Pt 3, The successful raising of L236 by Ernst Schmidt (uploaded July 30, 2013)
In which the author describes raising the youngsters of this pretty l-number.

The Oremon Catfish, Cephalosilurus fowleri by Wolfgang Ros (uploaded October 06, 2008)
The author makes a good case that this species is not as bad as it's reputation would have your believe.

The Pleco Egg Collectors of Florida by Ingo Seidel (uploaded April 09, 2013)
An interesting account of the collection and cultivation of <em>Pterygoplichthys</em> within the fish trade from exotic wild populations in the American state of Florida.

Visually comparing Synodontis petricola & S. lucipinnis by Birger Kamprath (uploaded September 19, 2009)
An in-depth look at telling this two species apart using only techniques applicable to live fish.

Yet another bumblebee: miniature catfishes of the genus Akysis by Heok Hee Ng (uploaded January 01, 2002)
Heok Hee takes a look at this group of catfish that has increased both in terms of size and availability to the aquarist.

The Siluriformes are a large and diverse group of fishes consisting of well over 30 families and 2,500 species. They can be found on every continent with the exception of Antarctica. Their habitats range from the frozen rivers of Siberia to the steamy swamps of Borneo. Species have been found in the Himalayas and Andes at altitudes of over 14,000 feet, while others live in the oceans among the coral reefs. Catfishes range in size from some of the smallest known fishes to the largest. Scoloplax dicra is fully-grown at 1/2 inch while the European wels (Silurus glanis) grows to 16 feet and can weigh 650lbs. These amazing fishes reproduce in about every way we know fishes reproduce. Among the Siluriformes we find mouthbrooders, livebearers (of a sort), bubblenest builders, egg scatterers, cuckoo spawners, nest builders, fish that carry their eggs attached to their mouth, and even catfishes that feed their fry with a body slime.

With so many species coming from such diverse locations and habitats, it is no wonder that finding good solid information about a certain catfish can be tricky. The articles beyond this page come from myself and others with an interest in these fascinating fishes. Among the authors are well known aquarists and scientists, but I want to stress that it is not necessary to be an expert or have a Ph.D. to contribute to the world's collective knowledge on catfishes. If you believe you have something to contribute to this section of this site please drop me a line.

Shane Linder