Driftwood Catfish | 水產百科網

Perhapsthebestknownofthewoodcatsisthehoneycombcatfish(​Centromochlusperugiae).Until1998,thisfishwasplacedinthegenusTatia,andmany ...

Author: Joshua Wiegert

Driftwood catfish, also called wood cats, are a small group of fishes from the family Auchenipteridae found throughout the Amazon. Most of these are small species, making them excellent for aquariums. The family, which also contains a handful of larger fishes, has been divided into two subfamilies, Auchenipterinae and Centromochlinae; the former has been traditionally of much less interest to aquarists than the latter, though this is gradually changing.

Within Auchenipteridae there are about 125 fish spread across nearly two dozen genera. This is a truly diverse family, with incredible variability in appearance among its members. While not technically livebearers, wood cats are unique among catfishes in that they practice internal fertilization. The male’s anal fin sports a modification that serves a similar role as the gonopodium in...