Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 5.1 in / 12.97 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 31 × 12 in (roughly 19 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: soft, acidic water, 72–82 °F, pH 4–7, 1–10 dGH.
- Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Not difficult to maintain under the correct conditions; we recommend keeping it in a tank designed to simulate a flowing stream with a substrate of variably-sized rocks, sand, fine gravel, and some water-worn boulders.”
- Diet: “Centromochlus species will accept most sinking dried foods, but particularly relish small live and frozen varieties such as bloodworm, Tubifex, etc.”
- Breeding: “All members of the family Auchenipteridae are thought to practise internal insemination and females can carry mature, unfertilised eggs and sperm packets inside the body for unspecified periods of time.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Driftwood catfish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: These American freshwater catfish include nocturnal insect feeders and fish predators; gulpers hunt shallow blackwater tributaries in the Negro and Orinoco systems. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Provide driftwood, roots and crevice refuges; subdued lighting suits nocturnal gulpers.
- For Asterophysus batrachus, use a base at least 150 × 60 cm (about 60 × 24 inches), preferably with soft sand.
- Use canister filtration or a sump for gulper waste, with surface agitation.
- For gulpers, use a mature system and change 30–50% of the water weekly; source parameters are pH 5.0–7.0 and 1–8 dGH.
- Keep surface feeding access clear for Trachelyopterus fisheri rather than relying on bottom-only feeding.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 71.6–82.4°F |
Diet
- For Trachelyopterus: floating insect-based foods offered when light is low.
- For gulpers: strips of white fish.
- For gulpers: whole shrimp and earthworms.
Social life
- Trachelyopterus fisheri may be less shy in substantial groups, but reaches nearly 30 cm. Asterophysus is a predatory species-tank fish capable of swallowing surprisingly large tankmates.
Health watch
- Ammonia toxicity.
- Nutritional deficiencies.
Understanding the animal
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Stays near the bottom. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 95°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 69°F (down to 68°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 78–85% on average (driest month about 80%) |
| Rainfall | about 2647 mm a year |
Measured at 25 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 31 × 12 in (about 19 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish — Asterophysus batrachus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Tropical Fish Hobbyist — Bottom of the Tank: Driftwood Catfish Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
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