Banjo Catfish

Banjo Catfish

Bunocephalus coracoideus

💧 Freshwater ✌️ Peaceful 🟡 Moderate 🥩 Carnivore

Flat, leaf-shaped catfish that looks like a banjo. Masters of camouflage that barely move during the day.

Tank Size

20 gal
minimum (30+ preferred)

Temperature

72–82°F
22–28°C

pH Range

6–7.5
water acidity

Max Size

5"
12.7 cm

Lifespan

5–8 years
typical in captivity

Swim Level

Bottom
preferred zone

Care Notes

Nocturnal and extremely sedentary. Needs soft substrate to burrow into. Easy to accidentally siphon up during water changes.

Feeding

Frozen bloodworms, sinking pellets, and small live foods. Feed at night.

Compatible Tank Mates

Cardinal Tetra 2" Rummy Nose Tetra 2" Congo Tetra 3.5" Harlequin Rasbora 2" Zebra Danio 2" Bloodfin Tetra 2" Diamond Tetra 2.5" Scissortail Rasbora 3.5" X-Ray Tetra 1.75" Emperor Tetra 2" Penguin Tetra 2.5" Red Eye Tetra 2.5"

Use Caution With

Neon Tetra 1.5" Black Skirt Tetra 2.5" Serpae Tetra 1.75" Glowlight Tetra 1.5" Celestial Pearl Danio 1" Lemon Tetra 1.5" Black Neon Tetra 1.5" Buenos Aires Tetra 3" Green Neon Tetra 1" Flame Tetra 1.5" Silvertip Tetra 2" Red Phantom Tetra 1.5"

Incompatible With

Ember Tetra 0.8" Chili Rasbora 0.7" White Cloud Mountain Minnow 1.5" Phoenix Rasbora 0.8" Exclamation Point Rasbora 0.7" Kubotai Rasbora 0.8" Ruby Tetra 0.7" Wild-Type Ember Tetra 0.8" Oscar 14" Jack Dempsey 10" Convict Cichlid 5" Green Terror 8"

Check Compatibility

Want to check if Banjo Catfish is compatible with a specific fish? Use our compatibility checker to build your complete tank.