Hoplo Catfish

The Hoplo Catfish (Megalechis thoracata) is a fascinating species from South America, known for its peaceful temperament and manageable size. It can coexist with both community fish and larger, more aggressive species.

Native to northern South America, this medium-sized catfish has been a popular aquarium fish for years due to its hardiness, calm nature, and distinctive markings. While it's too large for nano tanks, it thrives in medium to large aquariums, especially in Amazon-style setups with cichlids or tetras.

The Hoplo Catfish is a social species, though it can also do well as a single specimen. It’s somewhat shy and benefits from having plenty of hiding places like driftwood, pipes, or crevices, but it will be more active when kept in a group. Multiple fish may share the same refuge. It’s not territorial or aggressive, but like most catfish, it may eat anything small enough to fit in its mouth, such as tiny fish, shrimp, or fry. It won’t damage plants and prefers calm to moderate water flow. The fish enjoys rooting through the substrate for food, so a base of sand or fine gravel is recommended.

Feeding is easy for the Hoplo Catfish. In the wild, it feeds on small invertebrates, and in captivity, it will accept most live, frozen, and dry meaty foods. Some plant-based food, such as spirulina, is also recommended. It’s a hearty eater, so avoid overfeeding. Placing food near its hiding spots is effective, though it will eagerly come out when food is offered.

Key Highlights:

• Beautiful markings
• Peaceful with anything too large to be considered prey
• Excellent scavenger
• Plant-safe
• Rare captive-bred variety

Recommended Tank Parameters:

• Temperature: 64° - 82°F (18° - 28°C)
• pH: 6.0 - 8.0
• KH: 2 - 20 dKH
• Minimum tank size: 55 gallons for a small group

Care Guidelines:

• Diet: Omnivore, accepts most dry, frozen, and live meaty foods
• Social behavior: Peaceful, nocturnal, somewhat social
• Origin: Captive-bred, native to Northern South America
• Adult size: 6 inches (15 cm)
• Purchase size: 1.5 inches (3.8 cm)