Striped Eel Catfish

About

Striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus) are one of the most recognizable catfish in the marine world, patterned with bold cream and brown horizontal stripes that run the length of their eel-like bodies. They are, remarkably, the only catfish species found on coral reefs, though they also turn up in estuaries, tide pools, and along open coastlines across a vast range stretching from the Red Sea and East Africa out to Samoa and from southern Japan down to Australia. Juveniles are famous for their schooling behavior. Dense, swirling balls of a hundred or more fish that roll across the substrate together, which is one of the more memorable sights in the hobby. As they mature, that tight social structure loosens and adults tend to shelter under ledges or in reef crevices during daylight hours, venturing out to dig through sandy areas hunting crustaceans, mollusks, and worms. One thing every keeper must respect: the spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins carry a potent venom that can cause serious injury and in rare cases has proven fatal. This is not a fish to handle carelessly or net without caution. Despite being listed as beginner-level in care, the sheer size these fish reach and the venom risk mean they demand a thoughtful, well-prepared keeper.