The thorny catfish are a very interesting and diverse group of catfish. Once again we were able to import the slender species Nemadoras elongatus from Peru, which can reach a total length of around 12-15 cm. At first glance, the fish are very reminiscent of the Hassar species, which they also resemble in terms of behavior. They are peaceful schooling fish that are always on the move and appreciate a certain amount of current in the aquarium.
According to current knowledge, there are three Nemadoras species: N. elongatus, N. hemipeltis and N. humeralis, all three of which are found in the Amazon catchment of Peru, Colombia and Brazil, some of them also in Bolivia. The three species look very similar and all grow to a length of 15-20 cm. N. hemipeltis can be distinguished from the other two species by the fact that in this species the lateral bony plates begin well before the base of the dorsal fin; we have not yet seen this species here. In the other two species the lateral bony plates begin below about the middle of the dorsal fin. In N. humeralis the lateral bony plates are extended upwards and downwards, in the other two species they are not (see: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/10-catfishes/nemadoras-elongatus-2/). All other species formerly classified as Nemadoras now belong to the genus Tenellus.
Nemadoras are undemanding omnivores that can be fed with all common aquarium fish foods, although the emphasis should clearly be on meaty foods. The water composition only plays a subordinate role in their care. The animals can be kept in any tap water.
The aquarium for Nemadoras should have plenty of free swimming space. Plants are not damaged, but with very dense plant growth there is a risk of the fish becoming entangled in the underwater plants. Nemadoras are ideal community fish for larger aquariums with tetras etc..
For our customers: the fish have code 272482 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.
Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer
