HomeFreshwater aquarium fishCatfish & plecosGnarled catfish Gnarled catfish (Bunocephalus verrucosus) Scientific name: Bunocephalus verrucosus Walbaum, 1792 The Gnarled catfish (Bunocephalus verrucosus) is a freshwater fish of the family Aspredinidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 20–24°C (68–75°F). Native range: South America, rivers of Guyana and the Amazon River basin. Gnarled catfish care at a glanceTemperature20–24°C (68–75°F) Species factsScientific nameBunocephalus verrucosusFamilyAspredinidae (Banjo catfishes)OrderSiluriformes (Catfish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length9.5EnvironmentFreshwater;; pH range: 6.8 - 7.5; dH range: 8 - 15 demersalClimateTropicalDistributionSouth America: rivers of Guyana and the Amazon River basin.Conservation status (IUCN)Not EvaluatedThreat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial More catfish & plecosMicroglanis iheringiHypostomus cochliodonDekeyseria brachyuraDekeyseria pulchraAncistrus temminckiiOtocinclus vestitusSee all catfish & plecos SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026