Care
Like most of the family, this wood cat can usually be found in habitats that offer daytime shelter in the form of tangled piles of waterlogged submerged wood. Wild fishes leave their daytime hiding places to feed on insects in the surface waters.
This secretive catfish requires a mature aquarium with a soft sand substrate and plenty of shady hiding places amongst the crevices in rocky caves, driftwood pieces, bamboo tubes etc. Although plants are largely absent from its natural habitat, they can be very useful in shading out bright lighting and providing additional hiding places. Robust species such as Java Fern and Anubias sp. are good choices, as they often cope well with moderate lighting and a good current, which wood cats prefer. This peaceful, gregarious species is best kept in groups of 5 or more, and is safe with most fish that can't be swallowed whole. Adults may predate on small fishes during their nocturnal feeding forays, so choose tankmates with care. Although large adults tend to be largely nocturnal, especially if heavily fed, younger specimens will spend much of the day actively swimming with members of their own species.
May also be seen on sale as Driftwood catfish, or Colombian wood catfish.
Feeding
Easily fed with a wide range of dried foods to ensure optimal nutrition. These can be supplemented with frozen and live foods, which usually prompt a strong feeding response. Wood cats particularly enjoy insect and shrimp frozen foods such as bloodworm, mysis and krill. They are greedy eaters, so be careful not to overfeed.
Breeding
This species has been bred in the home aquarium, and mature fish will spawn readily. Fertilisation takes place internally during a spawning embrace, the male using his modified anal fin to inseminate the female. Around a month later, eggs are laid in a jelly like mass in the female’s favoured hiding place and subsequently ignored. The fry will be free-swimming in around 7-10 days, and they tend to hide above the substrate. Once free-swimming, the young can be offered baby brineshrimp (Artemia nauplii) and microworm.
