Catfish & plecos

187 freshwater aquarium species in the catfish & plecos group, including Adolf's catfish, Amazon sailfin catfish and Angel squeaker. 96 have a full care profile with tank size, temperature, pH and temperament, compared in the table below.

Catfish & plecos care compared

SpeciesAdult sizeMin. tankTemperaturepHTemperamentCare
Adolf's catfishCorydoras adolfoi5.7 cm (2.2 in)–21–26°C (70–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Amazon sailfin catfishPterygoplichthys pardalis13 cm (5.1 in)475 L (125 US gal)25–30°C (77–86°F)7.0–7.5PeacefulEasy
Angel squeakerSynodontis angelica20 cm (7.9 in)210 L (55 US gal)24–28°C (75–82°F)6.0–8.0Semi-aggressiveEasy
AtipaHoplosternum littorale24 cm (9.4 in)210 L (55 US gal)22–28°C (72–82°F)6.5–7.5PeacefulEasy
Banded corydorasScleromystax barbatus9 cm (3.5 in)75 L (20 US gal)24–28°C (75–82°F)6.0–8.0Semi-aggressiveEasy
Barredtail corydorasCorydoras cochui3.8 cm (1.5 in)75 L (20 US gal)23–26°C (73–79°F)6.0–7.2Peaceful–
Bloch's catfishPimelodus blochii25 cm (9.8 in)210 L (55 US gal)20–26°C (68–79°F)6.0–7.5AggressiveEasy
Blotched upsidedown catfishSynodontis nigriventris7.5 cm (3 in)115 L (30 US gal)22–28°C (72–82°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Blue corydorasCorydoras nattereri6.5 cm (2.6 in)75 L (20 US gal)20–23°C (68–73°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Blue panaqueBaryancistrus beggini8 cm (3.1 in)110 L (29 US gal)23–26°C (73–79°F)6.6–7.8Peaceful–
Blue-eye panaquePanaque suttonorum28.5 cm (11 in)210 L (55 US gal)22–26°C (72–79°F)6.2–7.5AggressiveModerate
Bluespotted corydorasCorydoras melanistius5.7 cm (2.2 in)–22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Britski's catfishBrochis britskii8.5 cm (3.3 in)–20–24°C (68–75°F)6.5–7.2Peaceful–
Bronze corydorasCorydoras aeneus7.5 cm (3 in)75 L (20 US gal)22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulModerate
CascarudoCallichthys callichthys18 cm (7.1 in)210 L (55 US gal)18–28°C (64–82°F)5.8–8.3PeacefulEasy
Channel catfishIctalurus punctatus130 cm (51 in)475 L (125 US gal)10–32°C (50–90°F)6.0–8.0AggressiveEasy
Chocolate-colored catfishRineloricaria lanceolata9.5 cm (3.7 in)115 L (30 US gal)25–28°C (77–82°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Clown squeakerSynodontis decora27 cm (11 in)210 L (55 US gal)24–28°C (75–82°F)6.0–8.0AggressiveEasy
Dwarf corydorasCorydoras hastatus2.5 cm (1 in)40 L (11 US gal)24–28°C (75–82°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulDifficult
Electric catfishMalapterurus electricus100 cm (39 in)510 L (135 US gal)23–30°C (73–86°F)7.0–8.0–Difficult
Elegant corydorasCorydoras elegans5 cm (2 in)–22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Emerald catfishBrochis splendens8 cm (3.1 in)75 L (20 US gal)22–28°C (72–82°F)5.8–8.0PeacefulEasy
False network catfishCorydoras sodalis4.9 cm (1.9 in)–22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
False spotted catfishCorydoras leucomelas6 cm (2.4 in)75 L (20 US gal)22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0Peaceful–
Flagtail catfishDianema urostriatum8.5 cm (3.3 in)75 L (20 US gal)24–28°C (75–82°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulDifficult
Ghost CatfishKryptopterus minor7 cm (2.8 in)75 L (20 US gal)23.9–26.7°C (75–80°F)6.5–7.0PeacefulEasy
Glass catfishKryptopterus bicirrhis15 cm (5.9 in)150 L (40 US gal)21–26°C (70–79°F)6.5–7.0PeacefulEasy
Golden otocinclusMacrotocinclus affinis5 cm (2 in)75 L (20 US gal)20–26°C (68–79°F)–PeacefulEasy
Green gold catfishCorydoras melanotaenia7 cm (2.8 in)–22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Guapore corydorasCorydoras guapore5 cm (2 in)–23–27°C (73–81°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
GuitarritaBunocephalus coracoideus15 cm (5.9 in)–24–28°C (75–82°F)6.0–8.0–Difficult
Hognosed brochisBrochis multiradiatus7.6 cm (3 in)–21.1–26.7°C (70–80°F)6.0–7.6Peaceful–
Leopard corydorasCorydoras julii5 cm (2 in)75 L (20 US gal)22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0Peaceful–
Leopard plecoPterygoplichthys gibbiceps50 cm (20 in)475 L (125 US gal)23–27°C (73–81°F)6.0–8.0AggressiveEasy
Masked corydorasCorydoras metae4.8 cm (1.9 in)75 L (20 US gal)22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulModerate
Mosaic corydorasCorydoras haraldschultzi5.9 cm (2.3 in)–24–28°C (75–82°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Panda corydorasCorydoras panda5 cm (2 in)75 L (20 US gal)20–25°C (68–77°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Pastaza corydorasCorydoras pastazensis6.1 cm (2.4 in)–22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Peppered corydorasCorydoras paleatus8 cm (3.1 in)75 L (20 US gal)25–28°C (77–82°F)6.0–7.8PeacefulEasy
Philippine catfishClarias batrachus47 cm (19 in)475 L (125 US gal)10–28°C (50–82°F)–AggressiveEasy
Pictus catPimelodus pictus12 cm (4.7 in)210 L (55 US gal)23–26°C (73–79°F)6.5–7.5AggressiveEasy
Pink corydorasCorydoras axelrodi4.2 cm (1.7 in)75 L (20 US gal)22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Porthole catfishDianema longibarbis10 cm (3.9 in)75 L (20 US gal)22–26°C (72–79°F)5.5–7.5PeacefulEasy
Pretty corydorasCorydoras pulcher5 cm (2 in)75 L (20 US gal)22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy
Pygmy corydorasCorydoras pygmaeus2.1 cm (0.8 in)–20–25°C (68–77°F)6.4–7.4PeacefulEasy
Raphael catfishPlatydoras costatus24 cm (9.4 in)210 L (55 US gal)24–30°C (75–86°F)5.8–7.5AggressiveEasy
Redtail catfishPhractocephalus hemioliopterus122 cm (48 in)455 L (120 US gal)20–26°C (68–79°F)5.8–6.8AggressiveDifficult
Reticulated corydorasCorydoras reticulatus6 cm (2.4 in)75 L (20 US gal)22–26°C (72–79°F)6.0–8.0PeacefulEasy

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