Sangha rough catfish

Where they come from

Sangha rough catfish (Trachyglanis sanghensis) come from Central Africa, around the Sangha River system in the Congo Basin. Think tannin-stained water, lots of wood, leaf litter, and that slow, shadowy vibe under overhanging banks.

They are one of those fish that seem "tough" because they are armored and secretive, but they are picky in their own way. If you like oddball catfish and you do not mind a fish you might only see properly at lights-out, they are rewarding.

Setting up their tank

Give them a tank that looks like a snag pile, not a showroom. Mine settled in way faster once I packed the bottom with driftwood tangles and a couple real caves instead of just one "catfish log".

• Tank size: I would not do adults in anything smaller than a 30-40 gallon footprint tank, and bigger is better if you want multiple.
• Filtration: strong biofiltration and steady flow, but not a sandstorm. Aim for clean water, not blasting current.
• Substrate: sand is your friend. They root around and you do not want them rubbing barbels raw on sharp gravel.
• Hardscape: lots of wood, rock caves, and tight crevices. They like contact on their sides.
• Lighting: dim to moderate. Floating plants help a lot.
• Water: soft to medium is fine. I had best results around pH 6.5-7.2 and mid-70s F (24-26 C). Stability matters more than chasing a number.
• Maintenance: smaller, frequent water changes beat big, occasional ones with this species.

The biggest quality-of-life upgrade is hiding spots that do not dead-end. If the only cave has one entrance, a dominant fish can pin the others in. I try to build hides with at least two exits using stacked wood and rock.

What to feed them

These are meat-and-muck eaters. In my tanks they fed mostly after dark, and they learned a routine fast if I fed at the same time each evening.

• Staples: sinking carnivore pellets and quality catfish wafers (not the cheap mostly-wheat ones).
• Frozen: bloodworms, blackworms, chopped krill, mysis, and prawns/shrimp pieces.
• Live (optional): earthworms or red wigglers (rinsed), occasional live blackworms if you can source them clean.
• Treats: small bits of fish, but go easy. It can foul water fast.

Watch their belly line more than how eager they act. A healthy fish is thick through the body, not pinched behind the head. If one fish is always skinny, it is usually getting outcompeted or it is too stressed to come out and eat.

How they behave and who they get along with

They are mostly nocturnal and spend a lot of time wedged into cover. They are not "community cats" in the friendly, out-in-front sense, but they can work in the right setup.

Temperament-wise, they are usually calm, but they are still predatory. If it can fit in their mouth at night, assume it might disappear. They also get grumpy about prime caves.

• Good tankmates: medium, calm fish that ignore caves and are not bitey (Congo tetras, larger barbs, some African characins), and other sturdy bottom fish that have their own niches.
• Avoid: tiny fish (guppies, small tetras), fin-nippers, and overly aggressive cichlids that will harass them in their hides.
• With their own kind: doable, but only if you provide lots of cover and space. Expect some shoving over shelters.

I also would not mix them with shrimp or small snails if you are attached to those. Even if you never see a hunt, they are opportunists.

Breeding tips

Breeding Trachyglanis in home aquariums is not something you see often. Most of what people call "breeding behavior" is really territory disputes over a cave.

If you want to take a swing at it anyway, your best bet is to set up a species tank and focus on conditioning and seasonal cues. In the wild they likely respond to rainy-season changes: cooler water, big water changes, heavier feeding, and lots of secure crevices.

• Start with a group so you are not guessing sexes.
• Condition with rich foods for a few weeks (worms, quality frozen, pellets).
• Do large water changes with slightly cooler water and increase oxygenation.
• Provide multiple tight caves and pipes with different diameters.

Common problems to watch for

Most issues I have seen with rough catfish are not weird diseases. It is usually stress, injuries from rough decor, or slow starvation because the food never reaches them.

• Barbel wear or mouth abrasions: almost always from sharp gravel or jagged rocks. Switch to sand and smooth hardscape.
• Hiding constantly and breathing hard: check ammonia/nitrite first, then oxygen. They like well-oxygenated water, especially in warmer tanks.
• Skin scrapes and torn fins: happens when they panic and wedge into tight spots. Give them wider routes and calmer lighting transitions.
• Bloat/constipation: too many dry pellets and not enough varied food. Add frozen foods and reduce feeding size.
• Mysterious missing small fish: not a mystery. They are predators at night.
• Refusing food after a move: common. Keep lights low, do not pester them, and place food right into cover for a week.

If you only take one thing from all this: build the tank around their need to feel hidden, and make feeding easy for them. Once they feel secure and start eating like clockwork, they get a lot less "mysterious" and a lot more enjoyable to keep.