Striped raphael catfish (Platydoras armatulus) care guide
- Group
- Freshwater fish
- Other names
- Striped raphael catfish, Humbug catfish, Striped talking catfish, Southern striped raphael, Platydoras costatus (misidentification), Doras armatulus
- Family
- Doradidae (thorny catfishes)
- Origin
- Widespread in South America: Amazon and Orinoco basins, the Paraná–La Plata system, the Tocantins and the Parnaíba.
- Water
- freshwater
- Maximum size
- 20 cm
- Temperature
- 23–30°C
- pH
- 6–7.5
- Hardness
- Soft to medium preferred, but not essential
- Minimum tank
- 250 litres
- Care level
- beginner
- Temperament
- peaceful
Care
A tough, long-lived thorny catfish. PlanetCatfish describes it as an ideal community fish, peaceful but rugged. It can be kept singly or in a group. PlanetCatfish stresses that caves or pipes are essential if it is to avoid long-term stress; give each fish its own hiding place. Use a soft substrate and subdued lighting. As our estimate, a tank of about 120 × 45 cm (around 250 litres) suits adults. PlanetCatfish gives 23–30 °C and pH 6.0–7.5, and notes that slightly softer water helps but is not essential. Keep up regular water changes. Handling: the body is covered in rows of sharp, hooked scutes and the fin spines lock out when the fish is disturbed. It tangles badly in nets and can cut hands, so catch it with a container. The "talking" name comes from the grinding noises it makes, mostly at night, by moving its pectoral spines in their sockets. Identification: black or dark brown with bold white stripes. PlanetCatfish notes that for decades it was misidentified as Platydoras costatus and was only recognised as P. armatulus in 2008; it has brighter white stripes and a shorter snout than its relatives. Adult females are wider when seen from above. Size: PlanetCatfish gives 20 cm SL for aquarium fish, while FishBase records up to 43 cm SL for wild fish in the Paraná basin; the PlanetCatfish figure is used here. FishBase lists it as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessed 2020). Sources: PlanetCatfish (planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?speciesid=880); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Platydoras-armatulus.html). Checked October 2026.
Diet
Feed sinking catfish tablets, bloodworm and high-protein dried foods, after lights-out, as it is active at night. It is an opportunistic eater that also takes prawn, mussel and other frozen foods.
Breeding
PlanetCatfish records that fry have been found in an aquarium, but spawning was not seen. Adult females are wider than males when seen from above. Fish in the trade are wild-caught or farmed.
Compatibility and tank mates
Peaceful but rugged: a good bottom fish for a community of medium to large fish such as larger tetras, barbs, gouramis and peaceful or moderately aggressive cichlids. Large adults may swallow very small fish at night, so avoid tiny tankmates.
Last updated 5 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.