Care
The Dwarf Giraffe Catfish is a predatory species known from the Chiloango River basin in Angola, the basins of the Nyong, Sanaga and Dja in Cameroon, the central basin of the Loeme in Congo, and the Ogooue basin in Gabon. The aquarium should be mature and spacious, with a soft sandy substrate in order to protect the sensory barbels. It should be decorated with a good amount of bogwood, rocky caves/PVC tubes, and robust planting such as Anubias spp. or Java Fern (tied to the decor - plants in the substrate will be uprooted) to provide shady areas, but you should also ensure that an unobstructed swimming space is left along the front of the tank. External canister filtration is recommended, as these fish are voracious eaters and can produce a fair amount of waste. The water should be well-oxygenated with a moderate current, and frequent partial water changes are a must to help keep nitrate to a minimum. These fish are most comfortable in aquaria with subdued lighting, and the use of blue-moon type illumination is highly recommended so that you may observe a few hours of the nightly goings-on in an aquarium containing this species. Dwarf Giraffe Catfish are highly territorial, particularly towards their own kind and other bottom-dwellers. Therefore, it is best to keep only one per tank. Companions should be sizeable and robust, otherwise they will be eaten; good tankmates could include some of the medium-large sized barbs, central American cichlids, and large characins such as Distichodus spp. or silver dollars. May also be seen on sale as Flatnose Catfish.
Feeding
Offer a varied selection of meaty foods. Smaller specimens will take bloodworm, Mysis shrimp, chopped seafood etc. Larger specimens will enjoy earthworms, prawns, cockles, mussels, crab, crayfish etc. Some will also take tablet food, but this is very much trial and error. Be sure not to overfeed as these fish can become real gluttons. Adults should only be fed two or three times per week.
Breeding
This species has not been bred in the home aquarium. In the wild, it has been reported that they are nest builders and provide parental care.
