Two Rayed Banjo Catfish

About

The two rayed banjo catfish (Amaralia hypsiura) is one of several catfish that share the distinctively flattened, guitar-pick body shape common to the banjo catfish family. Native to the Amazon River basin in South America, it naturally spends its time in slow-moving, leaf-littered shallows where camouflage and stillness are survival strategies rather than laziness. The depressed head and mottled brownish coloration help it blend almost perfectly against substrate debris, and in the aquarium it will behave much the same way. Hunkered down, motionless for long stretches, often tucked under a piece of wood or leaf litter during the day. It becomes more active after lights out, so do not mistake its daytime stillness for stress. As an omnivore it will accept a range of sinking foods including small worms, frozen bloodworm, and quality sinking pellets. It is a genuinely peaceful fish that poses no threat to tankmates, though its small size means it should not be housed with anything large enough to treat it as a snack. Providing a sandy substrate and a generous scattering of dried leaves will bring out the best in this species and keep it comfortable. It is best suited to a keeper with some experience maintaining soft, acidic South American biotope-style setups.