Catfish For Your Aquarium
These Freshwater Fish are a Great Addition to Your Tank
Known as scavengers, catfish can be a hobbyist's best friend. Here's what you need to know about adding these fish to a community aquarium.
In nature, there are close to 2049 species of catfish and they rank as one of the largest species of freshwater fish. To date, there has been 37 families of catfish identified. They can be found all over the world in the least suspected places (except for Antarctica). Some have even adapted to saltwater.
Characteristics of Catfish
Catfish do not have scales and are easily recognized by their barbels (taste organs located near the mouth) which resemble whiskers of a cat. Some species of catfish have developed armor plating in order to provide extra protection from enemies. They have a flat under belly and eyes set back in their head. Most catfish are bottom dwellers but there are a few exceptions.
The most popular and active catfish are of the family corydoras. They are a small species, one to two inches, and some may be close to three inches. Their natural habitat is in the Amazon River and the waters of Central America. Except for catfish from the great lakes of Africa, most thrive in water that is a medium to hard ph (between 6 and 8).
Catfish are bottom dwellers and help clean up the extra food that the other fish did not manage to eat. Uneaten food is big problem in aquariums because they upset the water chemistry, thus stressing out the fish and making them prone to other diseases. It can cause harmful bacteria to accumulate and reduce the oxygen supply in the tank.
Catfish Compatibility in the Aquarium
Because they are not aggressive, catfish fit in well with most community tanks. Before you add catfish to a cichlid tank, you need to do research in order to find out what species of catfish are compatible. If not, the odds are that the cichlids will kill them all off with in a week or less.
Decorating the Aquarium for Catfish
Many types of catfish some are nocturnal. These types need rock caves, passages and other hiding places to where they can retreat if frightened. These fish can survive in your aquarium without these hiding places, but will not live up to their fullest. For the types that like to dig in the bottom of the tank, use fine sand and lots of plants in order to give them a hiding place. Driftwood is another good decoration for catfish; some like to nibble on it to extract the minerals.
As you can see, catfish can help by eating surplus food that accumulates at the bottom of the tank. They are peaceful fish and don’t need any special diet. Decorations you put in the tank for catfish are no different than what you would do for other fish, so there is no added expense. Catfish may not be the most colorful fish, but they are one of the most industrious.
