Plotosus lineatus

(Thunberg, 1787)

Coral Catfish, Catfish, Striped Eel Catfish

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to Southern Japan, and Korea, south to Australia and Lord Howe Island.

Size: 14 inches (35 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits estuaries, tidepools, and shallow coastal muddy and silty areas with juveniles in dense ball-like schools and adults mostly solitary and generally found at depths between 3 to about 200 feet (1 – 60 m) where it feeds mainly on smaller fishes, crustaceans, and worms.

General Husbandry: Somewhat attractive, with small juveniles completely black. As they become larger, yellow to white horizonal lines develop from the snout to the tail. As it grows into adulthood, body becomes brownish and the lines fade into a pale white.

Quite hardy with juveniles best better maintained in small groups, as a singly kept juvenile usually hides and wastes away.

As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, e.g., live fortified brine shrimp and/or finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., and should be offered twice daily.

Taxonomy: Order: Siluriformes

Family: Plotosidae

Genus: Plotosus

FYI: Has highly venomous fins, avoid handling!

Only catfish found in coral reefs.

May hide during daylight hours.

The bigger they get the more other fishes in the tank become a possible food supply.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: With caution

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Semi-aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 28°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5