Description
Three Spot Mouse Catfish
A shy catfish best kept with peaceful tankmates in a well-maintained aquarium with plenty of hiding places
With large eyes for operating in dim light conditions, Mouse catfish are found amongst debris and waterlogged wood, where they live in shoals much like the unrelated Cory catfishes.
This sociable species requires a mature aquarium with a soft sand substrate and plenty of shady hiding places.. 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 these tireless swimmers prefer. This peaceful, gregarious species is best kept in groups of 5 or more, and is safe with most community fish. Largely nocturnal, they will spend much of the day hidden, but can usually be coaxed out with food and care should be taken that these slow feeders don’t lose out to more active feeders – given their shy nature it can be tricky to monitor their weight. 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.
