Thorny Catfish

About

Found in the Orinoco, Branco, and Essequibo river basins of South America, this thorny catfish, Nemadoras leporhinus, is one of five described species in its genus and the one most likely to turn up in the hobby. Though even then it's uncommon, occasionally slipping in as bycatch among shipments of similar-looking Hassar or Hemidoras species. It's most easily confused with Hemidoras stenopeltis, but you can tell them apart by the dorsal fin: N. leporhinus has a mostly clear dorsal with a dark patch at the base, while H. stenopeltis sports a dark-tipped fin. The snout on N. leporhinus is also noticeably more rounded. Despite being tagged as aggressive in some references, this species is actually quite peaceful and does best in a calm community with small to mid-sized characins, livebearers, anabantoids, and non-confrontational dwarf cichlids. It can be outcompeted by pushy bottom dwellers, so avoid pairing it with dominant species at the substrate level. Like other doradids, it schools in the wild and genuinely benefits from the company of its own kind in the aquarium. A small group will share hiding spots during the day and seem noticeably more settled than solitary individuals. Breeding hasn't been documented in captivity as far as anyone knows.