Pale sand catlet

Where they come from

Pale sand catlets are tiny African catfish from the Congo River basin. Picture shallow, sandy margins with steady flow, scattered leaves, and sticks. They spend a lot of time buried with just eyes and barbels poking out, sifting the sand for snacks and ducking under cover at the first sign of trouble.

Setting up their tank

Go for a tank with a good footprint rather than height. A 20-gallon long is great for a small group. They live on the bottom and use the whole floor space.

• Substrate: fine, soft sand, 2-4 cm deep. They bury themselves, so no sharp gravel.
• Flow: gentle to moderate, well-oxygenated water. A spray bar or small powerhead aimed along the surface works well.
• Filtration: sponge pre-filter on any intake so they do not get sucked in. They are tiny and curious.
• Cover: leaf litter (catappa/oak), a few smooth pebbles, and driftwood. Half-bury a couple of small caves or PVC offcuts.
• Lighting: keep it dim. Floating plants help calm them and bring them out more.
• Plants: tough epiphytes (Anubias, Bolbitis) on wood/rocks do fine. Rooted stems are optional.
• Lid: tight-fitting. They are not jumpy by nature, but tiny gaps are always a risk.

Water numbers that have worked for me: 22-26 C (72-79 F), pH 6.0-7.5, soft to moderately hard (1-8 dGH). Keep it clean and stable with weekly 30-50% changes. They perk up with high oxygen, especially in warmer months.

What to feed them

They are micro-predators. Mine took to small live and frozen foods first, then learned pellets.

• Live/frozen: baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops, mosquito larvae, finely chopped bloodworms, blackworms.
• Prepared: soft, sinking micro-pellets and tiny carnivore wafers. Pre-soak so they sink fast.
• Feeding timing: offer food at dusk or right after lights out. That is when they start roaming.

How they behave and who they get along with

Peaceful, shy, and mostly active in low light. In a group of 6-10 they seem bolder, and you will see more natural sand-sifting and short dashes between cover.

• Great tankmates: small, calm species that stick to mid/upper levels. Think lampeyes, tiny rasboras, pencilfish, small tetras, or small killifish that are not pushy feeders.
• Okay with inverts: snails are fine; adult shrimp may be OK with cover, but they will pick off shrimplets.
• Avoid: cichlids, large barbs, loaches, and any boisterous or greedy bottom dweller that will outcompete them at dinner.

Breeding tips

Home breeding is rare, but you can stack the deck. They appear to be scatter spawners that use sand and leaf litter. Sexing is subtle; females look a little rounder when well-fed.

• Set up: 10-15 gallon species tank with fine sand, leaf litter, and a few flat stones. Sponge filter only.
• Water: soft and slightly acidic works best (pH around 6.2-6.8). Keep it very clean.
• Conditioning: several weeks on live/frozen foods.
• Trigger: a series of slightly cooler water changes (2-3 C drop) and a bump in flow and feeding.
• After spawning: if you spot eggs, remove adults or lift the stone/leaf with eggs to a hatching tub. Cover the intake with fine sponge.
• Feeding fry: start with infusoria or paramecium, then microworms and newly hatched brine as they size up.

Common problems to watch for

• Barbel wear or infections: usually from rough substrate or dirty sand. Switch to finer sand and step up water changes.
• Low oxygen stress: they get sluggish and breathe faster in hot, still water. Add surface agitation.
• Getting outcompeted: fast feeders steal everything. Feed after lights out and spread the food.
• Being sucked into filters: always use sponge pre-filters and a gentle intake.
• Wild-caught parasites: many come in skinny. Deworm with levamisole or flubendazole at correct doses, lots of aeration, and monitor closely.
• Medication sensitivity: like many catfish, they do not handle copper, formalin, or heavy doses of malachite green. Go half-dose and increase aeration if you must medicate.
• Bright light stress: bright tanks keep them buried. Dim it down to see them more.