Comments: This is a Premium Pet Fish, and we never see Premium Fish like this in any of the live fish stores or in the online stores that we visit.

Premium Pet Fish are more energetic, hardier, and have brighter colors with a beautiful metallic sheen.

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Origin: This Catfish lives in the Río Turmero in Venezuela, in northern South America, where it is caught and shipped to us.

Maximum Size: This Catfish can grow to be a little less than 3" long, including their tails. Sometimes very old females are longer.

Behaviors: they will usually move around pretty actively during the day, but some of them seem to hide during the day and become more active at night.

But if there is food to be eaten, they become very active looking for it.

They'll also eat very small fish like baby Guppies, and other fish small enough fit into their mouths.

Compatibility: Some recommended tank mates include any mild tempered fish that they cannot swallow.

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Temperature: They live well from about 72 to 80 degrees F., but they're probably most comfortable at about 78 degrees F.

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Feeding: Premium Fish Food Flakes when very small and small Premium Pellet Food when larger.

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Water Conditions: This Catfish seems to be tolerant of a wide range of water conditions.

Probably a pH of about 6.5 with moderate hardness is best.

Most water in the US has a higher pH and is harder but seems to be OK, so it's probably best NOT to adjust the pH or the hardness of the water.

Here in our facilities the water is hard and the pH is usually about 7.8.

We ship them in this water.

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Aquarium Size: It is probably best to house these fish in at least a 30-gallon tank, but a bigger aquarium is always better.

Decor: These Catfish do not need gravel, and a layer of gravel more than 1/4" thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water.

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Pieces of aquarium-safe driftwood are also nice.

Live Plants are beautiful and improve the water quality.

Aquarium Filter: Bio-Wheel Filters are highly recommended.

A Penguin 350B Filter in an aquarium with 30-gallons of water is OK to start with a few of these Catfish.

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The addition of Lava Rocks will keep nitrates in the ideal range.

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Life Span: These Catfish can live for several years, probably many years provided they're fed premium food and kept in an aquarium with very fresh water.

Gender: As they mature females presumably become plumper than males.

Breeding: There've been a few reports of this fish spawning in aquarium but no details.

Popularity: This Catfish is rather rare in aquarium and so not very popular, but it's a good aquarium fish and should be more popular.

Names: The scientific name is Microglanis iheringi.

Variations: This Catfish lives across a wide range in Venezuela and their pattern of markings vary geographically.

We hope you've enjoyed reading these comments.