Instructions
Wash sand substrate by placing it in a bucket and hosing it thoroughly. Fill the bottom of the tank with the sand until it is one inch deep. Choose white sand to make the fish stand out, as the banjo catfish loves to dig and will be invisible against dark colored sand.
Plant rocks, ornaments and plants deeply into the sand. Create lots of places for your catfish to hide. Choose plants that are suited to living in sand, such as hornwart, java moss and java fern. You can also add plastic plants.
Ensure that the tank is the correct pH. To do this fill the tank with water and cycle with the aid of a home test kit. Add ammonia to the tank every 24 hours to maintain a reading of 5 ppm on the ammonia test. Test the water for nitrite three days after you begin the cycle. Half the dosage of ammonia and continue to add to the tank on a daily basis. Test for nitrate in the water. Once you get a positive reading for nitrate, test for ammonia. When there is no trace of ammonia in the tank because it is successfully converting to nitrate, empty the tank and fill with de-chlorinated water. Add the banjo catfish to the tank.
Maintain a tank temperature of between 76 and 80 degrees F to keep your banjo catfish happy.
Feed your banjo catfish with live or frozen worms, which they enjoy. Alternatively feed your catfish a diet of flake and pellet based fish foods. Turn the lights off in the tank before you feed the fish as it is nocturnal and will not become active with the lights on.
Care of Banjo Catfish
The banjo catfish can make an interesting addition to your freshwater tank. This bottom-dwelling fish gets its name because of its banjo-like shape. This fish can be housed with other species of fish, although it will probably not socialize with them. The banjo cat does enjoy living with others of its own species. Do not house small fish species in the same tank, as the catfish will eat them. Keep your banjo catfish happy by providing it with a suitable environment.