Large adult fish currently
Platydoras armatulus
The Striped Raphael Catfish/Chocolate Talking Catfish
Native Location: Amazon River Basin, Orinoco River, Peru, Bolivia
Climate: Tropical
Maximum Size: 6” or 15cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Omnivorous, readily accept most foods.
Breeding: Unknown
Temperature Range: 75–80°F (23.8-26.7°C)
Preferred pH Range: 6.5 – 7.5
Minimum Aquarium size: 100l aquarium with minimum 100cm in length.
Potential Tank mates: Congo Tetra, Angelfish, Larger South American Tetra, Bristlenose Pleco
Care Level: Moderate.
The Raphael Catfish is also known as the Humbug catfish due to their black and white stripes running along their body. Although they are primarily nocturnal, those stripes come in handy when trying to spot them hiding out. Only when the lights go out will your see these classic catfish foraging around for food.
A peaceful community friendly catfish with a tendency to enjoy being in small groups of other catfish. The only thing to consider is that very small fish, shrimp and snails may end up becoming a late evening snack while they rummage around in the dark. Other than that, the Raphael Catfish can be housed with most fish - including the more aggressive cichlids too. The sharp fin rays do a great job of keeping any opportunistic predators at bay.
Although breeding has never been achieved naturally in commercial farms or the home aquarium, the Raphael Catfish remains a popular catfish within the hobby, with all specimens being wild caught. Despite being wild caught fish, you won’t struggle to find food they enjoy. A true omnivore in every sense, happily accepting pellet, tablet, live and frozen foods. For a healthy fish, provide good quality protein based foods like bloodworm at least once a week.
All our fish are quarantined on arrival for two weeks. During this time, they are treated for any possible diseases and given a complete health check to make sure they are health, happy and eating well before being placed in our display aquariums, ready for sale.
Dead on Arrival (DOA) Policy: In the unfortunate event that your fish arrives dead, please follow these steps: Within 12 hours of the delivery, take clear, unopened bag pictures showing the deceased fish. Send these photographs and your order number to our customer service email atgetfish@thefishroom.co.nz or to our Facebook page and we will then offer a refund or store credit for the cost of the fish.
Two-Week Guarantee Policy: We stand behind the health and quality of our fish, which is why we offer a two-week guarantee starting from the day of delivery. If your fish dies within this time frame, adhere to the following procedure: Take clear photos of the deceased fish. Using a reliable test kit, document via a dated photo, water parameters (pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite levels). Please email us the photographs, water parameters, and order number togetfish@thefishroom.co.nz or our Facebook page. After reviewing your claim, if approved, we will issue a store credit for the cost of the fish. Our two-week guaranteedoes not cover fish deaths due to unsuitable water conditions, incompatible tank mates or “disasters” i.e. a heater overheating. We recommend thoroughly researching each fish species' needs before introducing them to your aquarium to prevent such situations.
Freight Charges: Please note that shipping or freight charges are non-refundable under all circumstances. We hope this guide makes our refund and guarantee process more understandable. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please get in touch with us at getfish@thefishroom.co.nz. We are always happy to assist. Thank you for choosing The Fish Room. Happy fish keeping!
