Twig Catfish (Farlowella vittata)

Twig Catfish is a type of armored catfish that comes from the Loricariinae family. This fish variety hails from South America. These fish varieties look like sticks or twigs, and hence they attain the name. They are a natural habitat and they live in flowing streams and rivers with waterlogged roots and plants. They are also commonly called Farlowella or stick catfish, and occasionally called as whiptail catfish. Since these fish varieties resemble something that just ascended from the primordial leach, their frightening appearance, belies its calm nature. There are more than 30 recognized species of Twig Catfish, but only three varieties, such as Gracilus, Acus and Vitta are more frequently found in the business. Though they differ in variety, their basic requirements and care are virtually the same. These fish varieties prefer the water temperature ranging from 75 degree Fahrenheit to 80 degree Fahrenheit.

Features

The Twig Catfish variety is a non-violent fish and has a maximum body length ranging from 6 inches to 8 inches. The body of this fish variety has a unique shape that looks like a slender stick of wood. Their body is slim and lengthy, habitually with a distinct rostrum. It is brown in color, with two side dark lines starting from the tip of its rostrum, bypassing the eyes and finishing at the tail, which is sporadically broken up on the caudal peduncle. Sexual dimorphism comprises hypertrophied odontodes down the sides of the rostrum or the skull in varieties with an undersized rostrum.

Twig Catfish varieties are not energetic swimmers, but because of their size, they need a tank with a minimum capacity of 35 gallons. Male breeds can turn out to be a bit defensive towards each other, but only a modest harm is done and many fish can be kept in bigger tanks.

Though these fish breeds are nonviolent, they do not perform well in a common community tank. They are timid and introverted, and they habitually compete for food. They are boisterous or violent fish varieties, and some of their appropriate tank companions include Rasboras, Tetras, Danios, Otos, Cories, etc.

Diet

Twig Catfish varieties are herbivores and they mostly feed on algae in the wild. In the aquarium, they are fed with fresh foods, such as spinach, lettuce, zucchini, kale and cucumber slices, and dehydrated foods, such as Spirulina wafers and algae wafers.

The average lifespan of the Twig Catfish fish breed ranges from 5 years to 8 years.