Indawgyi Stream Catfish

About

Found in the fast-moving streams of Myanmar, this obscure little catfish, Akysis prashadi, belongs to the Asian stream catfish family Akysidae and rarely makes it into the hobby in any numbers. Like its relatives, it wears a cryptic pattern of yellowish bands or blotches over a brown body, and its skin has a distinctly bumpy, tuberculate texture that sets akysids apart from most other small catfishes. It tops out at barely over two inches, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in personality. It loves to bury itself in soft substrate with just its barbels poking out, so a sandy bottom is really non-negotiable. One thing worth knowing before you buy: those dorsal and pectoral spines are venomous at the base. Not dangerous to a healthy adult, but a sting during a net-out is genuinely unpleasant, so handle with care. Despite being labelled aggressive and territorial in some listings, it is actually quite peaceable with its own kind and can be kept in groups. The aggression label seems to reflect its carnivorous feeding style more than its social behavior. Small schooling fish, similarly-sized stream catfishes, hillstream loaches, and even freshwater shrimp all make workable tankmates. Breeding in captivity has not been formally documented for this species, though related akysids respond to significant temperature drops as a spawning trigger.