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Genus

Farlowella

Species
1
Photographed
1 of 1
Difficulty rated
1 of 1

Where the name comes from

erected by Carl and Rosa Eigenmann (1889) as replacement for Acestra Kner, 1853, the name honours the American botanist from Harvard, William Gibson Farlow (1844-1919), who specialized in algae plants, a reference to the principal diet of this fish.

Twig Catfish (Farlowella vittata)

Farlowella vittataTwig Catfish

Myers, 1942

Max length
150mm SL6in SL
Tank
90 × 30cm36 × 12in
Temp
24–27°C75–81°F
pH
6.0–7.0

Although often sold as the closely related F. acus (a species that is highly endangered and imported very rarely, if at all), F. vittata is the most common representative of the genus in hobbyists' tanks. The easiest way to distinguish the two is by comparing the shape of the rostrum, which is longer and more slender in vittata, although there are also differences in the arrangement of the ventral scutes. They are adapted for life among peripheral vegetation and tree roots along the edges o...

Easy