Peracuca

Where they come from

Peracuca (Kalyptodoras bahiensis) is a thorny catfish from Bahia state in northeastern Brazil, mostly in the Paragucu and nearby drainages. Think warm, slow-to-moderate flow rivers with sand, leaf litter, and wood everywhere. They spend daylight jammed under roots or inside cavities and go shopping for food after dark.

Setting up their tank

They get chunky. Plan for an adult around 10-12 in (25-30 cm). A 6x2 ft footprint is where they settle in long term. Juveniles are fine in less, but they outgrow it quickly.

• Tank size: 125-180 gal for an adult. Footprint matters more than height.
• Substrate: sand or very fine smooth gravel. They bulldoze and like to root around.
• Hardscape: big wood, tight caves, and shaded nooks. 3-4 hides so they can choose.
• Filtration: beefy canister or sump with strong mechanical. They are messy eaters.
• Flow and oxygen: moderate flow with good surface agitation. They like well-oxygenated water.
• Lighting: dim. Floating plants help them feel secure.

Water is forgiving if you keep it clean and stable: 75-82 F (24-28 C), pH 6.2-7.5, soft to moderate hardness. Keep nitrates low with big, regular water changes.

What to feed them

Wild ones eat inverts, mollusks, and whatever meaty bits they root up. In a tank, they switch over, but some new imports sulk for a week or two.

• Staples: quality sinking carnivore sticks, Hikari Massivore/OSI-style pellets, black soldier fly sticks.
• Meaty foods: mussel or clam (on the half shell is perfect), prawn/shrimp, earthworms, cockle.
• Occasional: chopped tilapia, krill, snails (great for jaw workout).
• Avoid: fatty meats, feeder fish, and daily shrimp binges. Mix it up.

Feed after lights out. I usually feed 3-4 nights a week. They do better on less, but consistent, with big water changes backing it up.

How they behave and who they get along with

They are calm, nocturnal, and very cave-focused during the day. At feeding time they turn into a slow-moving tank bulldozer. They ignore fish they cannot swallow.

• Good tankmates: mid-to-large characins (silver dollars, larger tetras), peaceful cichlids that are not hyper-territorial (Geophagus, severums), robust barbs, and plecos with their own hides.
• Be careful with: other big armor cats. Space and duplicate hides or they tail-wrestle at night.
• Avoid: tiny tetras, shrimp, and nano fish. They will vanish. Also avoid aggressive bruisers that will pin it in a cave.

Breeding tips

I have not seen a confirmed home spawning of Kalyptodoras. Doradids in general are rare spawners in aquaria and often tied to seasonal cues that are hard to replicate. Sexing is not reliable visually outside of subtle body shape differences on mature fish.

Common problems to watch for

• Not eating after import: Give dark caves, very low light, and offer mollusk on the half shell at night. They usually come around in 1-2 weeks.
• Damaged spines or scutes: Happens in shipping. Keep water pristine and add extra oxygen; they heal if not reinjured.
• Bloat from rich foods: Rotate diet and use pellets as a base. Do not feed shrimp every day.
• Low oxygen stress: Gilling hard near the surface, listless during heat. Add surface agitation and lower temp into the mid-70s F.
• Parameter swings: They handle a range but hate sudden changes. Big, matched-temperature water changes work better than small erratic ones.
• Territory scuffles at night: Provide more hides than bottom dwellers. Break line of sight with wood piles.