Ideally, the fish’s diet should include:
- Mysis shrimp
- Snails
- Brine shrimp with spirulina
- Pacific shrimp (not tiger shrimp)
- Krill
- Pollock or Tilapia
What do striped raphael catfish eat?
These catfish are omnivores that will eat whatever they can find. In the wild they’ll eat pretty much any mussels or crustaceans they encounter in the substrate, and will also snack on dead plant matter. In captivity, Striped Raphael Catfish will consume leftover fish food, detritus, and more.
What do you feed a nocturnal catfish?
You should feed this fish with a variety of foods, and it will likely reject pellets. Other acceptable foods for this nocturnal catfish include blood worms and flakes. The diet should be formulated to provide the maximum nutrition to this unique fish.
Are Raphael catfish good fish to keep?
Striped Raphael Catfish are a beautiful and underrated species of freshwater fish, and they have several distinct features that make them likeable. They have a refined appearance and are also easy to look after. Plus, you will have a lot of fun watching them in your aquarium.
What size tank does a striped raphael catfish need?
We recommend going with a tank size of at least 50 gallons when keeping Striped Raphael Catfish. While not massive, these fish are reasonably-sized which means they’ll need a bit of space. While a lot of aquarists claim that a 30-gallon tank is plenty for these fish, we disagree.
How many Raphael catfish should be kept together?
Unlike aggressive species of catfish, the spotted Raphael won't actively hunt the other members of the community, but they will opportunistically snack on smaller fish. You can keep a single catfish in your tank, but they prefer to be kept in groups of 3 to 5 and can be quite gregarious with each other at night.
What do Raphael striped catfish eat?
These fish feed on mollusks, crustaceans and organic debris. They have rigid pectoral fin spines. The striped Raphael catfish also has tiny and curved protective spines running along its body.
How fast do Raphael catfish grow?
A: Striped Raphael catfish grow to reach between seven and nine inches in length. This fish species grows very slowly, only growing an inch or so every one to two years until reaching its full adult size.
Will Raphael catfish eat shrimp?
0:182:50Striped Raphael Catfish Eating Shrimp Pellets (Platydoras armatulus)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI decided I was gonna try to entice him out by throwing a bunch of shrimp pellets in the corner downMoreI decided I was gonna try to entice him out by throwing a bunch of shrimp pellets in the corner down near his cave that he hides in during the day.
Will Raphael catfish eat snails?
Native to South America, Striped Raphael Catfish are used to eating invertebrates. In the wild, they often consume shrimp, snails, and insects. What is this? In captivity, the fish will eat much of the same thing, making them a great choice for getting rid of snails in your aquarium.
How much is a Raphael catfish?
Striped Raphael Catfish (Platydoras armatulus) - Aquatic Arts on sale today for $ 8.99.
Do Striped Raphael Catfish eat algae?
Do Striped Raphael catfish eat algae? They usually do not feed on live algae. However, some aquarists also suggest feeding these fish algae wafers.
How do you get Raphael catfish to come out?
5:298:15Striped Raphael Catfish Care - Rare Siting? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut maybe going with a smaller granular gravel super-awesome fish make sure your tank is filteredMoreBut maybe going with a smaller granular gravel super-awesome fish make sure your tank is filtered adequately.
Are Striped Raphael Catfish poisonous?
Venomous: No - Although not venomous, the Striped Raphael Catfish is armed with a set of spines sharp enough to do damage to the aquarists hand.
Species Summary
While there are several species of catfish that you can add to your freshwater aquarium, none are quite as interesting as the Striped Raphael Catfish ( Platydoras armatulus ). Also known as Chocolate Doradid, Thorny Catfish, and even Talking Catfish, these creatures have some very distinct characteristics.
Appearance
These bottom-dwelling fish have a very unique look. They have a torpedo-like shape. Their heads are large and wide, but their profile tapers off towards the tail.
Striped Raphael Catfish Size
When fully grown, the average Striped Raphael Catfish size is around 6 inches in length. However, they’re fully capable of getting much bigger than that when kept in a large tank.
Care
Thanks to their tough build and hardy nature, Striped Raphael Catfish care is not very challenging. These fish adapt well and aren’t particularly fussy with specific water requirements.
Striped Raphael Catfish Food & Diet
These catfish are omnivores that will eat whatever they can find. In the wild they’ll eat pretty much any mussels or crustaceans they encounter in the substrate, and will also snack on dead plant matter.
Behavior & Temperament
As we mentioned earlier, Striped Raphael Catfish are usually nocturnal. They’ll spend much of the day hiding in the darkness.
Tank Mates
Because they’re so large and sturdy, Striped Raphael Catfish can be kept with a wide range of tank mates. They do best with large peaceful fish though, because smaller critters will quickly become future snacks.
Striped raphael catfish Feeding
There are no difficult terms for feeding this kind of fish because it almost eats everything.
Striped raphael catfish Breeding and reproduction
This fish is famous for its difficult breeding in the home aquarium because it is nearly impossible to breed in captivity.
Striped raphael catfish Lifespan
The lifespan of this fish can normally reach 10 years, but you can also find that there are some types of this amazing fish, which can live for 15 and more
Striped raphael catfish common diseases
This fish is just like any other tropical fish, so it can suffer from some diseases too, although it is one of the most powerful fishes.
Striped raphael catfish care
You won’t find any difficulty in caring for this fish at all because of its tough build and hardy nature.
Habitat in the wild
The name of the kind — «Platydoras» origins from two Greek words: platys = wide, doras = skin, armor.
Description
In the wild grows to be up to 20 centimeters (7.9 in) long and sometimes even bigger species can be encountered. In a tank the average length of the adult is 15 cm (6 in). Lifespan is 15 years, some records state that it can be even 20.
Difficulties in keeping
This renowned fish species is often considered as a perfect one for beginner aquarists. It is enduring and it can do with various range of tank conditions.
Feeding
The fish is omnivorous and it’s easy to feed it. In the wild they feed on mussels, crustaceans and detritus. The fish is a bottom feeder, so it means that it eats everything it can find on a river on a tank bottom.
Tank mates
The fish is absolutely not aggressive, but it may treat small fishes as food, that’s why they actually aren’t suitable for a community tank.
Gender differences: male vs female
Only when you have enough of experience of keeping the fish, you’ll be able to see between the male and female. Usually the male is slimmer and brighter colored, than the female.
Breeding
Platydoras armatulus is still bred only by means of hormonal injections. Though there is some information about getting juveniles in home aquaria, but this was by an accident and it is the exception rather than the rule.
Striped Raphael Catfish Facts
Striped Raphael Catfish are found in South America, throughout Amazon, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Peru.
Striped Raphael Catfish Food & Diet
Striped Raphael Catfish are omnivorous, opportunistic feeders that will eat pretty much anything that they can find. This means that they eat meat as well as plant matter. In the wild, Striped Raphael Catfish feed on crustaceans, mollusks, and plant debris that settle at the bottom in the substrate.
Striped Raphael Catfish Size & Lifespan
Striped Raphael Catfish can grow anywhere from 8 to 9.5 inches at full maturity. Striped Raphael Catfish have a rather slow growth rate, and you can expect them to grow around 1 to 2 inches per year in captivity. In the wild, Striped Raphael Catfish can live for roughly 15 to 20 years. In captivity, they have been known to live closer to 10 years.
Striped Raphael Catfish Tank Requirements
If you are planning on keeping Striped Raphael Catfish, then you will want to consider a setup that allows you to keep more than one. It has been suggested that you could possibly keep Striped Raphael Catfish in a 30 gallon tank, however they would be more happy in a tank that is at least 50 gallons.
Striped Raphael Catfish Tank Setup
When setting up an aquarium for Striped Raphael Catfish you will first want to consider the size of the tank you plan using. Striped Raphael Catfish are fish that occupy mostly the bottom of the tank. It is for this reason that you will want to choose a tank that is wider opposed to taller.
Striped Raphael Catfish Tank Mates
The best tank mates for Striped Raphael Catfish are other fish of the same species. They tend to do best when they live in a small grouping together.
Striped Raphael Catfish Breeding
There have been some cases of breeders getting this fish to be able to spawn in captivity, but for the most part, breeding in captivity is triggered by hormonal injections. It is for this reason that most Striped Raphael Catfish are wild caught.
Species Summary
As you know already, there are many different species of catfish that are popular among aquarium owners.
Lifespan
On average, the Striped Raphael Catfish can live up to 10 years when they are kept in aquariums. However, their lifespan depends largely on the care and living conditions they receive. If ideal conditions are maintained, you may even see them live up to 15 years.
Appearance
The Striped Raphael Catfish have a unique appearance and a body shape that resembles a torpedo. Moreover, they have large and wide heads, but their body starts to get slimmer towards the tail. True to their name, they have stripes along the length of their body, which has a black or dark brown color.
Size
At their full size, Striped Raphael Catfish measure up to 6 inches in length. However, you can let them grow even bigger by providing them with a larger tank.
Striped Raphael Catfish
The Striped Raphael Catfish have a tough exterior, and they are quite hardy as well. This is why they are easier to care for. They also adapt well to different water conditions.
What Do Striped Raphael Catfish Eat?
Striped Raphael Catfish are natural omnivores, and they eat whatever they find in the wild. These include all kinds of crustaceans and mussels, as well as dead plant matter that lies within the substrate. In the tank, they like to feed on fish food and detritus.
Behavior & Temperament
Striped Raphael Catfish are nocturnal and spend most of the day resting and hiding in the darkness. When the sun sets, they become highly active and start scavenging for food in the substrate.
Species Summary
Appearance
Striped Raphael Catfish Size
- When fully grown, the average Striped Raphael Catfish size is around 6 inches in length.However, they’re fully capable of getting much bigger than that when kept in a large tank. Many aquarists have reported their fish getting to be anywhere between 7.9 and 9.4 inches long in good environments. Author Note:In the wild, they can allegedly get up to 17 inches long! However, tho…
Care
- Thanks to their tough build and hardy nature, Striped Raphael Catfish care is not very challenging. These fish adapt well and aren’t particularly fussy with specific water requirements. Even still, keeping these fish in a heavily monitored environment is paramount. Like any other freshwater fish, these catfish can get sick and respond negatively when kept in poor conditions. To ensure t…
Striped Raphael Catfish Food & Diet
- These catfish are omnivores that will eat whatever they can find. In the wild they’ll eat pretty much any mussels or crustaceans they encounter in the substrate, and will also snack on dead plant matter. In captivity, Striped Raphael Catfish will consume leftover fish food, detritus, and more. You must supplement their scavenging with sinking pelle...
Behavior & Temperament
- As we mentioned earlier, Striped Raphael Catfish are usually nocturnal. They’ll spend much of the day hiding in the darkness. However, once the lights go down, they’ll begin actively exploring the tank in search of food. Many owners actually report that nocturnal behavior goes away after a while. Some fish will come out of hiding and start spending more and more time exploring durin…
Tank Mates
- Because they’re so large and sturdy, Striped Raphael Catfish can be kept with a wide range of tank mates. They do best with large peaceful fish though, because smaller critters will quickly become future snacks. You can also keep them with aggressive species in many cases. Thanks to their large size and sharp fin rays, most aggressive fish won’t even bother attacking them. Here are s…
Breeding
- Breeding Striped Raphael Catfish is nearly impossible in captivity. Most of the fish being sold are wild-caught. Those that aren’t might have been bred through hormonal injection. There are currently no established methods for captive breeding. It’s thought that these fish release eggs into fast-moving rivers for fertilization, which may explain why breeding doesn’t occur in confine…
Give Them A Shot!
- Since Striped Raphael Catfish care is something that anyone can handle, we strongly encourage you to give this species a chance. We love them and know other aquarists who feel the same way. There’s something about watching them swim around that never gets old! If you have any questions or suggestions on how we can improve this guide for future readers, reach out to us o…