What is a Raphael Catfish?
The Raphael catfish is a smaller catfish family that is popular for aquariums. The most popular member of this family is the Striped Raphael Catfish. It’s bold patterns and awesome characteristics make it an exceptional addition to any aquarium.
Origin
Raphael catfish call the rivers of the Amazon home and are still plentiful in the area. It enjoys the temperature of the warm waters as it swims through medium-strong currents in South America. Specifically, it can be found in the area of Paraguay.
They “Talk”
Raphael catfish are also known as talking catfish. When they are threatened or scared, they make a slight croaking sound to frighten away their enemies. This can be interesting to hear, but fish owners are encouraged to keep in mind that these fish can make this noise when they are scared.
Talking catfish also make this sound when they are searching for their own kind. Often, when fish are kept in a school of fish and one is separated, it will make this noise. Most aquarists enjoy hearing the fish talk to each other until they are reunited in the aquarium.
Known for Being Curious
One of the primary reasons that these fish remain so popular is because they are known for being curious. Their curious nature makes them more active than other catfish that spend most of their time hiding. Raphael catfish are known to hide during the day, but at night they can be found swimming all over the tank to both eat and explore the aquarium.
Size
Most of these fish will only grow to approximately six inches when they are raised in captivity. Significantly larger fish are found in nature, so there is a chance that these fish will grow a tad larger if they are kept in an extremely large tank.
Long Life Span
People that want a fish that will last longer than a few years will enjoy the long-life span of these talking catfish. If they are properly taken care of, Raphael catfish can live for 15-20 years. It should be noted that when fish are happier, they live longer, too. Keep plenty of hiding places and cool aquarium decorations in the tank to ensure that they are not stressed.
Beware Smaller Tankmates
These fish are not known for being overly aggressive, but they are known for eating fish that are smaller than them. If there is not enough food in the tank, they will not hesitate to down a delicious tetra. If there is plenty of food yet they are having difficulty finding it, they will also eat smaller fish. Because of this, it is often recommended that they are only kept in tanks with fish that are larger than them.
Sinking Pellets Are Recommended
The Raphael catfish is known as a bottom feeder. It will eat things that it finds on the bottom of the tank or on the floor of riverbanks for food. Because of this, most owners prefer to feed them sinking pellets.
The Raphael catfish comes in a variety of colors and remains a joy for fish owners. Most aquarists love to find a baby so that they can enjoy watching it explore the aquarium to satisfy its curiosity on a regular basis.
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