Banjo catfish?

[JenNewbie]

So I was flipping through my guide to fish/plants, looking for specimens that would be good in hard water, and I found something called a banjo catfish that supposedly does well in hard water. The few sites I whipped through today indicate that it is a fairly small fish, about 5-6", and peaceful even with small fish. Is it true? And how rare are they? It looks like an awesome fish if it would work out w/ tetras, mollies, and corys.

 

[Fruitbat]

Anybody who tells you that a Banjo Catfish (Bunocephalus and related genera) is safe to have in a tank with small tetras is fibbing! As long as their tank-mates aren't small enough to swallow then the Banjo Cat is just fine but, in my personal experience with these fish, I've found them to behave much like any other catfish with a big mouth...that is....they eat whatever they can fit in it.

If you get one of these, don't expect to see it very often. They are very nocturnal and are experts at hiding during the daylight hours. Even when they are visible, they're not very active. Still and all....they're cool fish! If I had a South American tank set up (with appropriate tank-mates), I wouldn't hesitate to include a couple of these.

 

[Toirtis]

Joe is right. I have 12 banjos in a sand-bottomed tank, and all I ever see during the day is the tips of tails, and occasional snout-tips poking out of the sand. At night they come out and pig out...cruising the tank bottom inhaling anything that resembles food.

 

[Lance M.]

In Baensch's Aquarium Atlas vol.3 it shows two types of banjos that will stay out of the sand and be visible. I think they were called black banjos.

 

[Lance M.]

I found them- "Bunocelphalus verruocus scabriceps" and "Amaralia hypsiura" The large head banjo and the two-rayed banjo are rare but stay out of the substrate.