Bagrichthys majusculus · White-Whisker Lancer

Overview

Shy and active after dark, Bagrichthys majusculus can coexist peacefully with fishes using other parts of the aquarium. Competition on the bottom is a different matter, especially between males. Plan both the layout and the sex ratio when considering companions.

Distribution & habitat

Records come from the Mekong and Chao Phraya systems, including the Mun in eastern Thailand and Mekong tributaries in Laos. Cambodian occurrence is presumed. Typical habitat consists of muddy, slow-moving large rivers, with seasonal movement into flooded bankside areas.

Aquarium setup

Keep lighting subdued and provide several retreats with pots, tubes, and tangled wood. Plants can reduce light at the bottom. Divide the floor into separate areas if keeping several catfish. Strong current is unwelcome. Position the heater so fish cannot settle against it or shelter behind it.

Diet & feeding

Its natural feeding apparently includes small bottom-dwelling animals and organic debris. Aquarium foods are generally accepted. Offer small live or frozen items such as Artemia, Tubifex, and bloodworms, with regular high-quality sinking food containing spirulina or other plant ingredients.

Behaviour & compatibility

The small mouth limits what it can swallow, but does not eliminate territorial disputes. Schools of larger rasboras or medium barbs may encourage it to leave cover. Males rarely tolerate one another except in very large quarters. For a group, one male with at least three females offers a better chance of spreading his attention.

Sexual dimorphism

Males show a pointed external genital papilla ahead of the anal fin and distinctly longer barbels. Mature females usually have a slightly larger body.

Breeding

Aquarium reproduction is unrecorded. In the wild, adults enter newly flooded areas to spawn when the wet season begins.