Care
The Chameleon Whiptail Catfish is known for its colour changing abilities that help to camouflage it in the shallow leaf-litter strewn sandy areas of its native habitat.
These sedentary bottom-dwellers are best kept in a spacious, mature aquarium with neutral to soft, slightly acidic conditions. Provide a large expanse of soft sand substrate with a number of shady hiding places amongst driftwood and rocky caves. Open expanses of sand in brightly lit tanks can be shaded by floating plants, or with large, broad-leaved plants such as Anubias tied to the decor. These fish will usually remain partially buried during daylight hours, and the addition of dried leaf litter would further help to emulate the natural environment. Pseudohemiodon are peaceful and should be kept in groups. Tankmates should be of a peaceful disposition and ideally swim above the substrate. The presence of such fish swimming around in open water may even encourage these reclusive catfish out into view a bit more. Observe carefully to ensure that none of the other fish are continually nipping away at the inactive, partially buried catfish. Good filtration along with frequent partial water changes are essential for keeping nitrogenous wastes to a minimum; however, the actual water flow within the aquarium should not be excessive.
Chameleon whiptails from different regions may constitute different species, with Colombian apithanos showing a fine network of dark markings that are absent in those from Peru (Ps. aff. apithanos). To avoid the risk of hybridization, avoid keeping these two forms together.
Feeding
Offer a variety of small, meaty frozen foods such as bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, black mosquito larvae, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, daphnia etc. as well as different sinking catfish pellets/granules. If there are other fish present in the tank, make sure your catfish are not missing out, target feeding with frozen foods near their resting places using a baster if necessary, and offering some foods after lights out.
Breeding
Paternal lip-brooder. After spawning, the male carries the fertilised egg mass supported by his well-developed branched labial (rictal) barbels, and remarkably, during this time he will still bury into the sand. He will lip-brood the eggs for around 14 days, after which time the fry will emerge with large yolk sacs.
