Species Profile
Whiptail Catfish
Rineloricaria parva
Algae Eaterspeaceful
Adult size
6″
Minimum tank
30 gal
Temperature
72–79°F
pH
6–7.5
Schooling
Solitary OK
Water level
bottom
Diet
Algae wafers, biofilm, blanched veggies
Notes
Slender catfish with an extremely long whip-like tail. Spends the day flat against driftwood or aquarium glass, grazing on biofilm and algae. Needs varied veggie diet; supplement with blanched zucchini or cucumber slices.
Compatible Tankmates
Best tank mates for Whiptail Catfish
Every species below passes the compatibility engine when paired with Whiptail Catfishin a suitably sized tank. Verdicts come from the same rules the builder uses — click a card to see that species' own care profile and its tank mates in turn.
Cardinal Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Rummynose Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Harlequin Rasbora
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Zebra Danio
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Fancy Guppy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Platy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Molly
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Swordtail
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Dwarf Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Honey Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Bolivian Ram
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Bronze Corydoras
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Photo: Cláudio Timm / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-2.0