Debauwi Catfish

Care

This is a peaceful, active shoaling species ideally suited to community aquaria. Shady planted areas will be appreciated, but a good amount of open swimming space should also be provided. These catfish occur in moderately fast flowing waters, so you should make certain that the aquarium environment has a good amount of oxygenation and current. It is best to keep this species in large groups; six specimens would be considered the minimum number. Larger group sizes will give these fish a lot more confidence. Not to be kept with boisterous species, and larger specimens are not to be trusted with small fry. This species is generally imported and sold as P. debauwi but that species seldom enters the trade and is less heavily marked. The common name used here should help to acknowledge this situation, alternatively this fish is more accurately known as the Three-striped African glass catfish. 

Feeding

Flake and small frozen foods such as daphnia, mosquito larvae and vitamin-enriched brineshrimp.

Breeding

The African Glass Catfish is not often bred in the home aquarium. It may be easier to attempt reproduction of this species in a dedicated breeding tank, set up with parameters matching the main tank but instead filtered by a small air driven sponge filter which should prevent any fry from being drawn in. Clumps of fine leaved plants such as Java Moss should be provided, and the water temperature set to the high end of the preferred range. After conditioning the fish in the main aquarium, move one male and two females to the breeding tank. The fish should spawn when the first rays of morning sunshine hit the aquarium glass, each female scattering up to 100 eggs over the plants. The adults should be moved back to the main aquarium as soon as spawning has ceased, in order to protect the eggs from predation. Eggs should hatch after approximately 72 hours (temperature dependent), and once the fry have absorbed their yolk sacs, they can be offered tiny foods such as baby brineshrimp (Artemia nauplii) or microworm.