Care
The Striped Talking Catfish is a secretive species known from slow-moving or still waters where it remains hidden under roots, rocks, and plant thickets during the day. Active by night, it emerges to feed by digging through the sediment, consuming various organic debris, insect larvae, and small benthic invertebrates. It is important to provide a soft sand substrate in the home aquarium in order to protect the delicate sensory barbels, and be sure to make a good number of shady hiding places available such as slate caves, driftwood, and PVC pipes for these nocturnal fish to take refuge in during the day - as they do not enjoy bright illumination. Robust plants, including floating species, can also be utilised to help diffuse the lighting, and these will provide additional hiding places. This is a gregarious species which benefits from company of its own kind, so aim for a group of 5 or more of similar size. Adding a blue moon light to your aquarium (which switches on just before the main lights go out) will allow you to spend time observing them under their preferred subdued lighting. Adding some suitable "˜dither fish"™ to the aquarium may also encourage them to venture out a little more during the daytime, and some of the medium sized characins, barbs, rainbowfish, and peaceable cichlids make great companions. They can also be kept successfully alongside other doradids. However, be aware that Striped Talking Catfish are micro-predators with capacious mouths which do actively hunt at night, so be sure that any tankmates are not of such a small size that they would become an easy snack. Doradid catfish are often referred to as "talking catfish" on account of their ability to produce audible sounds via stridulation of the pectoral spines in their sockets and amplifying this sound through the swim bladder. Take care when moving these catfish, as the pectoral fin spines and body scutes can easily become entangled in netting, and can pierce the skin. It is best to herd the fish into a solid container rather than lifting directly from the water with a net. This species has been misidentified in the trade for decades as Platydoras costatus, which is actually a smaller species that lacks the thick white stripes. May also be seen on sale as Humbug Catfish, Striped Dora, or Striped Raphael Catfish.
Feeding
Omnivorous. Offer a variety of meaty frozen foods such as bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, Mysis shrimp etc., along with some sinking catfish pellets/tablets/granules and occasional greenfoods.
Breeding
This species has not been bred in the home aquarium.
