Lancer Catfish

About

A bottom-dwelling catfish from Thailand, Bagrichthys majusculus belongs to a small genus whose members are sometimes called lancer catfish. A nickname earned by the elongated dorsal spine that's a hallmark of the group. This species carries notably long pectoral-fin spines as well, which helps distinguish it from its closest relatives. It's a moderately sized catfish, reaching around six inches as an adult, with the secretive, crepuscular habits you'd expect from a fish that spends its wild life tucked into river-bottom cover. Don't let the relatively small mouth fool you into thinking this is an easygoing tankmate for everyone. It's quite territorial toward other bottom-dwellers, particularly its own kind. Males are especially intolerant of one another, so the most workable arrangement is a single male kept with three or more females. Interestingly, keeping a school of active mid-water fish alongside them, larger rasboras or medium barbs work well, tends to draw them out more often. The combination of territorial behavior and specific social needs puts this one in the intermediate category rather than beginner territory. Breeding has not been documented in home aquaria; in the wild, adults move into seasonally flooded zones to spawn when the rains arrive.