FRESHWATER CATFISH
Tandanus tandanus
GENERAL INFORMATION
DESCRIPTION
A heavily built fish, gray in colour with black mottling which varies with individual fish. Tail is elongated and eel like. Mouth is surrounded by whiskers.
SIZE
Big, 30 - 50 cm in captivity. Up to one meter in the wild.
INTERESTING FACTS
The population of catfish in the Torrens river, South Australia are a translocated population (i.e. someone put them there).
Tandanus tandanus are often sold in aquarium shops as a pet fish suitable for the goldfish tank or community aquarium. They are suitable for this only when they are young. I have seen large Tandanus kill goldfish.
APPEAL
This fish is unique in appearance and has an interesting pattern on it's body. Although nocturnal and sometimes reclusive by day, it can often be seen scrounging for food during daylight hours. Will often swim up to people who approach the aquarium, expecting to be fed. Can be trained to take food from the hand. Useful for keeping the aquarium clean. This is a spectacular fish when it gets big.
AVAILABLILITY
Usually available from aquarium retailers.
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'Maximus' the Tandanus catfish. He thinks that he is hidden in the plant. As you can see from this image, the tandanus is not a small fish. |
MAINTENANCE OF CAPTIVE SPECIMENS
SUITABILITY FOR KEEPING IN CAPTIVITY
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Advantages: Happy in a standard aquarium (120 cm or more). Defends itself if harassed. Easy to feed. Not particularly sensitive to water quality. Happy in a cold water tank but can tolerate warmer water (I keep mine at 23C). |
Disadvantages: Grows to a large size. Will eat other fish that are smaller. Can be territorial and sometimes will harass other fish. May fight with its own kind. Only eats meat and fish. May uproot plants. Can be killed by aquarium medications. |
Suitable for fish keepers with limited experience.
AQUARIUM CONDITIONS
| Minimum aquarium size: | As it is a big fish, it should have a big tank, 120 cm X 40 cm should be fine for an adult. |
| Water temperature: | Can be maintained at room temperatures and up to 25C. |
| Water salinity: | Freshwater only. |
| Filtration & oxygenation: | Water needs to be kept reasonably clean and always well oxygenated. |
| Lighting: | My tandanus does not seem to mind normal aquarium lighting. Be careful about having excessive lighting as the tandanus is nocturnal and may become even more reclusive. |
| Plants: | This fish digs in the substrate and may uproot plants. You may need to take measures to protect them. Plants are not needed. |
| Furnishings: | The Tandanus should have somewhere to hide when it feels insecure. A plastic tube or a cave would do nicely. |
| Notes: |
AQUARIUM BEHAVIOR
Tandanus catfish are primarily nocturnal but they often forage during the day, particularly in the evening. They search the substrate for food with their whiskers. Tandanus have poor eyesight and tend to panic easily. Our catfish likes to fight with the Murray cod over it's hiding spot. It sometimes wins, but gets chased off in the end. Tandanus are generally difficult targets for agressive fish because they have poisonous spines and are very fast. Although thay are mainly scavengers, don't keep them with goldfish of similar size or smaller. Tandanus love to eat goldfish. The same goes for any other smaller fish.
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FEEDING HABITS Takes frozen foods like beef heart and white bait and may take pelleted foods. Will take food mainly from the substrate. Excellent scavenger and tank cleaner. FISH KEEPING RECOMMENDATIONS Tandanus should not be kept with substantially smaller fish. They cannot tolerate water over 30C and should be kept below 25C. Tandanus make an excellent cleaner fish for an aquarium housing other large fish. Tandanus should not be kept with each other. |
OUR FISH
SPECIMEN DETAILS:
I keep a single 25 cm fish called Maximus.
AQUARIUM DETAILS:
It is kept in a 270 cm X 60 cm aquarium, maintained at 22C. Filtered by two internal power filters. Lots wood, and well illuminated. Tank is also occupied by other large native fish including Saratoga, Sleepy cod and Murray cod.
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The tail of the Tandanus allows it to swim backwards as well as forwards. |
USEFUL LINKS
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AUSTRALIAN TANDANUS CATFISH FORUM This forum is for anyone who owns or loves Tandanus Catfish. This site contains information on general care and maintenance as well as discussion relating to owning and looking after Tandanus Catfish |
Native Fish Australia - Tandanus catfish
Contains details of distribution, habitat and aquarium care. Also has an image.
Aquaria central - Eel tailed catfish info
Basic fishkeeping review on the tandanus
Copyright (c) Alexander Foreman
