Spotted Dora Talking Catfish Agamyxis Pectinifrons 5cm
Image for illustration purposes only. Exact colours, patterns, and size may vary between individuals.
Delivered alive, guaranteed
Live fish delivery is £20 per order, delivered Thursday, Friday or Saturday, arriving before 1:00pm on the day you choose at checkout. Packed by aquatic specialists and shipped overnight with a dedicated livestock courier, every fish is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee with automatic refunds. See How Live Fish Delivery Works for full details.
When will my fish arrive?
| Order placed | Delivery day |
|---|---|
| Up to Monday 11:00am | Thursday (that week) |
| Monday after 11:00am – Tuesday 11:00am | Friday (that week) |
| Tuesday after 11:00am – Wednesday 11:00am | Saturday (that week) |
| Wednesday after 11:00am – Sunday (any time) | Thursday (following week) |
Overview
The Spotted Talking Catfish is a stout, armoured doradid with a black body sprinkled with white to pale yellow spots and rows of bony plates along its flanks. It gets its name from the audible croaks it makes by grinding its pectoral spines. Hailing from the Amazon basin, it is a hardy, peaceful choice for community tanks with medium-sized fish.
- Adult Size: Around 15 cm (6 in)
- Lifespan: 10–15 years, sometimes longer
Origin
- Native to: Amazon basin in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia
- Habitat: Still and slow waters among roots, floating meadows and flooded forest
Feeding
- Diet: Omnivorous
- Preferred Foods: Sinking pellets, bloodworm, earthworms, Tubifex, mosquito larvae, prawn
- Feeding Habits: Feed after lights out; ensure food reaches the shy catfish
Tank Mates
- Best with: Medium tetras, larger rasboras, peaceful cichlids, other doradids
- Avoid: Fish small enough to swallow at night; boisterous fin-nippers
Aggression & Behaviour
- Temperament: Peaceful and gregarious; happiest in groups of four or more
- Territoriality: Minimal; several will share one cave
Experience Level
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Challenges: Rarely seen by day; spines tangle in nets
Water Parameters
- Water Type: Freshwater, soft to moderately hard
- Temperature: 22–26°C (72–79°F)
- pH: 5.5–7.5
- Hardness: 1–20 dGH
- Flow: Slow to moderate
- Tank Size: Minimum 100 litres for a small group; larger is better
Final Notes
Expect to see this fish mostly at feeding time or after dark; it spends the day wedged into caves, pipes or bogwood, so provide plenty of cover and subdued lighting. Its sharp, serrated spines lock out when it is stressed and will snag in nets, so move it with a container instead. Sexing is difficult and aquarium breeding very rare. It is otherwise robust, undemanding and a delight to hear croak.
Please Note
The livestock that is sold on our online site is not held in store at our Birchwood Aquatic Centre shop. Species sold at the Birchwood Aquatic Centre physical store may differ from ones available to order to your door.
Frequently Asked Questions
In insulated boxes designed for live transport, packed by aquatic specialists,
overnight with a licensed live-animal courier, arriving before 1pm.
It is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Photograph it within 4 hours of delivery, email info@birchwoodaquaticcentre.co.uk with your order number, and the refund is processed automatically. The cover continues for 7 days after arrival.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. You pick your day at checkout; please choose a day someone is home.
Yes. One basket, one checkout; the fish arrive with the specialist courier and the rest of your order ships as normal.
We can deliver to UK mainland only for live fish.
Follow the five-minute acclimatisation steps in our When Your Fish Arrive guide: float the bags, add tank water gradually, net the fish in, lights low, feed tomorrow.