Care
The Snowflake wood catfish is known from swiftly flowing waters in the Orinoco River basin. This secretive spotted 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 current, which woodcats prefer. This peaceful, gregarious species is best kept in groups of 5 or more, and is safe with most community fish; however, adults will predate on very tiny fish or small fry, so choose tankmates with care. Largely nocturnal, they will spend much of the day hidden, but can usually be coaxed out with bloodworms, for which they will quickly emerge and feed in quite a frenzy, usually from the surface. Regular partial water changes are essential as, like other riverine fish, this species is intolerant of the build up of nitrogenous waste within the aquarium. May also be seen on sale as the Milky Way Woodcat and is widely misidentified as T. galaxias.
Feeding
Small meaty frozen foods such as bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, daphnia etc, along with a variety of slow-sinking catfish pellets/tablets. They are greedy eaters, so do be careful not to overfeed.
Breeding
This species has been bred in the home aquarium, and mature fish will spawn readily if they are kept in an aquarium with a decent current and lots of hidey holes. Fertilisation takes place internally, the male using his modified anal fin to inseminate the female. Eggs are laid in a jelly like mass in the water column and sink to the substrate, and the female fish may guard them until they hatch. The fry will be free-swimming in around 7-10 days, and they tend to hide above the substrate (fine leaved plants are perfect for this purpose). Once free-swimming, the young can be offered baby brineshrimp (Artemia nauplii) and microworm.
