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No federal permit to keepGuitarrita
Bunocephalus coracoideus
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Aspredinidae (Banjo catfish)
Bunocephalus coracoideus, the guitarrito, is a species of banjo catfish found in the Amazon River basin.
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 4.3 in / 11 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 77–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–8.
- Hardness: 5–19 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
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 24 × 15 in (roughly 18 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 68–81 °F, pH 5.8–7.8, 2–20 dGH.
- Difficulty: Beginner (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Requires plenty of hiding places and dim lighting.”
- Diet: “Unfussy but not easily fed due to its sedentary lifestyle.”
- Tankmates: “Will not predate on smaller fish and so is suitable for most community aquaria.”
- Breeding: “Rarely achieved in aquaria but possible.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Banjo catfish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: South American bottom dwellers occupy leaf-littered forest waters, with some larger whiptail forms entering coastal brackish water. [fg201-sf-banjo, fg201-wwm-banjo]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For Bunocephalus coracoideus, use at least a 24 × 15 × 12 in aquarium; this is not a minimum for larger whiptail species.
- Provide approximately 2 in of sand for burial, wood or rock crevices, and dim lighting.
- Scatter dried oak or beech leaves over the bottom as camouflage and cover.
- For B. coracoideus, maintain pH 5.8–7.8 and hardness 2–20 dGH.
- Remove accumulated bottom waste during water changes; larger coastal forms need water conditions chosen for their identity and origin.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 68–80.6°F |
Diet
- Live or frozen bloodworms, delivered after lights out.
- Earthworms placed where the fish can find them.
- Sinking dried foods; verify that these sedentary fish actually receive their share.
Social life
- B. coracoideus can live singly or with conspecifics and peaceful fish; for other banjos, avoid companions small enough to fit their broad mouths.
Health watch
- Underfeeding when faster tankmates intercept food.
- Freshwater ich affecting skin or gills; a general freshwater-fish risk rather than a demonstrated family-specific predisposition.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It occurs in Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and Uruguay where it is found in ponds and creeks that contain a large quantity of plant debris. Its diet varies, and may include organic debris from the bottom.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Bunocephalus coracoideus” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
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, in rivers and streams. Stays near the bottom. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 77–82 °F (25–28 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 5–19 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 77–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 70°F (down to 63°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–80°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 81–84% on average (driest month about 78%) |
| Rainfall | about 2400 mm a year |
Measured at 204 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.
| Overview | Bunocephalus coracoideus, the guitarrito, is a species of banjo catfish found in the Amazon River basin. It occurs in Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and Uruguay where it is found in ponds and creeks that contain a large quantity of plant debris. Its diet varies, and may include organic debris from the bottom. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| 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 |
| Behavior | This fish is largely nocturnal. It is a bottom-feeder, consuming debris and smaller fish. The guitarrito lays up to 4,000 eggs into sandy substrate. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Reproduction | Spawns in up to 30 cm deep water. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | Maximum length 11.0 cm sl male/unsexed. — FishBase |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing in the genus; Occurs in ponds and forest creeks rich in plant debris. Benthic fish which feeds on a wide range of food, including organic debris from the bottom. Spawns eggs on sandy substrate, in groups. — 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 in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 24 × 15 in (about 18 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: Bunocephalus coracoideus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Bob Fenner, WetWebMedia: The Banjo Catfishes, Family Aspredinidae Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- MSD Veterinary Manual: Parasitic Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
