Description

Ninja Wood Catfish  Centromochlus musaica

• Coloration: It features a distinctive dark black top with a white underbelly, interspersed with patches of the two colors, which reminds some aquarists of an orca or killer whale.
• Size: This is a small species, typically only reaching a maximum size of around 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) in the aquarium.
• Sexual Dimorphism: Males have a modified anal fin, similar to a gonopodium in livebearing fish, which is used for internal fertilization. 

• Origin: Native to the swiftly flowing waters of the Atabapo and Autana River basins in the Upper Orinoco drainage.
• Nocturnal Nature: The fish is largely nocturnal and will spend most of the day hidden among driftwood, leaf litter, or other dark crevices.
• Peaceful Community Fish: It is a peaceful, gregarious species that coexists well with most community fish of a similar size. However, adults may predate on very tiny fish or small fry.
• Social: It is best kept in a group of five or more individuals. 

• Tank Setup: Requires a mature aquarium with a soft sand substrate and plenty of hiding places, such as driftwood pieces and robust plants like Java Fern and Anubias sp., which also help to diffuse bright lighting.
• Water Parameters: Prefers neutral to slightly soft and acidic water conditions.
  • Temperature: 22-26°C (72-79°F).
  • pH: 6.0-6.8.
• Diet: It is carnivorous/omnivorous and in the wild feeds on insects and crustaceans. In the aquarium, it eagerly accepts small meaty frozen foods like bloodworms, white mosquito larvae, and vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, along with quality sinking pellets and granules.
• Feeding Time: Feeding should occur at night or under dim “blue moon” lighting so the fish feel secure enough to emerge and eat.