Hoplo Catfish (Megalechis thoracata) - (No Online Purchases)

Hoplo Catfish (Megalechis thoracata) - (No Online Purchases)

The term "Hoplo Catfish" generally refers to species within the genus Megalechis, primarily Megalechis thoracata, also known as the Black Marble Hoplo or Spotted Hoplo. Another species, Hoplosternum littorale (Brown Hoplo), is also commonly referred to as a Hoplo Catfish. These are popular freshwater fish in the aquarium hobby due to their hardiness, peaceful nature, and interesting behaviors.

Here's a breakdown of common information regarding Hoplo Catfish:

Key Characteristics:

• Appearance: They are robust, armored catfish with a streamlined body, typically dark brown or grey with lighter spots or markings, providing camouflage. They possess distinctive barbels (whiskers) around their mouth, which they use for foraging. Males can develop thicker, often reddish-orange, pectoral fin rays during breeding.

• Size: Megalechis thoracata generally grows up to 15 cm (6 inches) in length, while Hoplosternum littorale can reach up to 20 cm (8 inches).

• Lifespan: With proper care, they can live 5-8 years, sometimes up to 10-12 years.

• Temperament: Hoplo Catfish are generally peaceful and social, making them excellent candidates for community aquariums. They are bottom-dwellers and active foragers. While peaceful, larger specimens can be a bit boisterous during feeding.

• Unique Behavior: They are known for their unique bubble-nesting breeding habits. Males construct a nest of bubbles at the water's surface, often incorporating floating plants, and then guard the eggs until they hatch. They also have the ability to breathe atmospheric air through their intestines, allowing them to survive in low-oxygen environments in the wild.

Aquarium Care:

• Tank Size: A minimum of 30-55 gallons is generally recommended for a small group, with larger tanks (e.g., 75 gallons or 300 liters) being ideal, especially if kept in larger groups or with other fish.

• Substrate: A soft, sandy, or fine-gravel substrate is crucial to protect their sensitive barbels as they enjoy rooting around for food.

• Decorations: Provide plenty of hiding spots using driftwood, rocks, and dense plants. Floating plants are also beneficial, especially for breeding.

• Water Parameters:

  • Temperature: 22-28°C (72-82°F)

  • pH: 6.5-7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

  • Hardness: Soft to moderately hard water (4-10 dGH or 50-150 ppm)

• Filtration: A good filtration system is essential to maintain water quality, as they can produce a fair amount of waste. They also appreciate highly oxygenated water and moderate flow.

• Diet: Hoplo Catfish are omnivorous. Their diet should consist of high-quality sinking pellets or wafers as a staple, supplemented with live or frozen foods like bloodworms, brine shrimp, tubifex worms, and even blanched vegetables (e.g., zucchini, spinach). They will also scavenge for leftover food.

• Tank Mates: They thrive in community tanks with other peaceful fish such as tetras, gouramis, peaceful cichlids, rainbowfish, and other non-aggressive bottom-dwellers like Corydoras. Avoid very aggressive or overly territorial species, and anything small enough to fit in their mouths (e.g., dwarf shrimp, fry).

• Social Behavior: While they can be kept alone or in pairs, they are semi-social and generally do better in groups of at least three to five, where their social interactions can be observed.

Breeding:

• Breeding is relatively easy in captivity.

• Males build bubble nests. Providing floating plants helps stabilize the nest.

• Spawning can often be triggered by a cool water change.

• The male guards the eggs and can become aggressive during this time, so it's sometimes recommended to remove the female after spawning.

• Eggs hatch in about 2-4 days, and fry are free-swimming a couple of days later. They can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp or crushed fry foods.

Hoplo Catfish are a robust and engaging addition to many aquariums, suitable for both novice and experienced aquarists due to their adaptable nature and generally low maintenance requirements.