Beni whiptail catfish

Where they come from

Beni whiptails are from the upper Amazon system, especially around Bolivia's Rio Beni and nearby drainages. Think sandy shallows with leaf litter, sticks, and moderate flow. During the wet season they spread into floodplains and sift through fine substrates for food.

Setting up their tank

Give them a long footprint and gentle flow. They are not huge, but they use the floor space. I like 24-30 inches of length for a pair or trio, starting around 20 gallons and up.

• Substrate: fine sand. They rest on it and poke around with their faces.
• Decor: driftwood branches, leaf litter, and a few snug caves or tubes.
• Filtration: steady, well-oxygenated flow without blasting them. Sponge on the intake.
• Lighting: moderate. They relax under shaded areas and wood tangles.
• Lid: they are sneaky climbers and can end up past the rim during maintenance.

Water numbers that have worked for me:

• Temperature: 72-78 F (22-26 C)
• pH: 6.0-7.4
• Hardness: soft to moderate (2-10 dGH)
• Weekly water change: 30-50% with good aeration

Leaf litter (catappa, oak) is great. It grows biofilm they browse, buffers slightly acidic, and gives them that comfy jungle vibe. I rotate a few leaves every couple of weeks.

What to feed them

They are not a cleanup crew and they won't live on algae alone. Think omnivore with a strong veggie/detritus lean. Feed after lights out if they are shy.

• Staples: quality algae wafers and spirulina-based pellets, or a green gel food (Repashy-style).
• Veggies: blanched zucchini, cucumber, spinach, green beans. Clip near the bottom wood so they feel secure.
• Protein treats: frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, blackworms or bloodworms 1-2 times a week.
• Natural picks: biofilm and softened leaves. They will graze these between meals.

Behavior and tankmates

Peaceful, shy, and mostly bottom-huggers. They lounge on wood and sand by day and get more active at dusk. Males can get territorial around a favorite tube, but it is mild outside of breeding.

• Good company: small tetras, pencilfish, rasboras, peaceful dwarf cichlids, hatchetfish, and calm catfish that are not food vacuums.
• Use caution: big groups of hyper Corydoras or larger plecos can outcompete them at dinner.
• Avoid: nippy barbs, large cichlids, anything that will hassle them off the bottom.

If you keep shrimp, adults usually ignore them, but tiny shrimplets can become snacks. Lots of moss and hidey holes help.

Breeding tips

They are cave spawners. A settled male will pick a narrow tube, clean it, and coax a female to lay. He guards and fans the eggs until hatch.

• Group: 1 male with 1-2 females works well.
• Caves: narrow tubes just a bit wider than the male's body depth. Ceramic, PVC, or bamboo all work.
• Placement: point the cave entrance into gentle flow so fresh water passes over the eggs.
• Water: slightly soft and mildly acidic helps (pH 6.2-6.8, 74-77 F).
• Trigger: a couple of cooler water changes and bumping up feeding often does it.

Eggs hatch in about a week. The male usually keeps watch until the fry are free-swimming. Keep the pre-filter sponge on, and start the youngsters on powdered spirulina, crushed wafers, and biofilm. Small daily water changes go a long way here.

Common problems to watch for

• Starvation in community tanks: they are slow eaters. Use multiple feeding points and night feedings.
• Mouth or belly abrasions: sharp gravel is the usual culprit. Switch to fine sand.
• Low oxygen or overheated tanks: they like good flow. Add an airstone during heat waves.
• Internal parasites from wild or stressed imports: quarantine and treat with a dewormer if you see wasting despite strong appetite.
• Bloat from too much protein: keep meaty foods as treats, not staples.
• Fry and filter intakes: cover intakes and reduce suction during breeding.