Sun Catfish
Sun catfish, Horabagrus Brachysoma, or Günther’s catfish, is a species native to the muddy and lowland areas of rivers and streams in Southeastern India. Its widespread availability in various aquarium shops has made it a favorite among aquarists across the globe.
Though it might seem like an easy task, maintaining this predatory species in an aquarium can be quite challenging.
- Experience Level: Moderate to Expert
- Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
- Minimum Tank Size: 175 gal (650 L)
- Maximum Size: 18 inches (45 cm)
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Temperature: 74 – 77° F (23 – 25° C)
- pH Range: 6 – 7.5
- Water Hardness: 7 – 15 dGH
- Diet: Omnivore
Table of Contents
Introduction
Care Guide
Tank Mates
Diet and Feeding
Breeding
Featuring a vibrant yellow ring around a dark spot just behind the gills, the Sun Catfish is known by various names.
Aquarists and aquarium store keepers commonly refer to them as sun catfish, yellow catfish, golden red tail catfish, bullseye catfish, and solar catfish, along with the more widespread monikers of sun catfish or Gunther’s catfish.
Care Guide
- Minimum Tank Size: 175 gal (650 L)
- pH Range: 6 – 7.5
- Water Hardness: 7 – 15 dGH
- Temperature: 74 – 77° F (23 – 25° C)
- Lighting: Low to moderate, diffused lighting
- Substrate: Fine sand/gravel
- Brackish: No
- Water Flow: Low to medium
- Tank Region: Mainly bottom
Taking care of Gunther’s catfish requires caution and understanding as this species is rather sensitive. It’s crucial to know the Sun Catfish’s growth rate to estimate the appropriate aquarium size for your marine pet. Obviously, it isn’t viable to change the aquarium as your fish grows, or to purchase one that’s too large initially.
It is important to note that this species can grow up to 45 cm in length in the wild. Consequently, a tank capacity of 80 – 180 gallons is often deemed suitable for one Sun Catfish. Naturally, having more of these fish or their tank-mates would necessitate a larger aquarium.
One must remember that Sun Catfish are nocturnal beings. They do well in aquariums furnished with gentle lighting and plenty of ornamentation that can serve as ideal hiding spots for them. They tend to stay hidden during daylight hours and become exceedingly active in the evenings and at night, eagerly moving towards the live food or pellets you drop in the tank.
Also, you might want to include some substrate in the aquarium to replicate the Sunspot fish’s natural habitat.
Even though the Sunspot fish can adjust to a myriad of water conditions, it might not fare well in polluted or unsuitable water environments.
Keep tabs on the levels of nitrate, ammonia, and nitrite in the tank as these can climb due to the amount of waste a Gunther’s Catfish generates. It’s wise to change about 25% of the fish tank water every two to three weeks to maintain the health of your Sun Catfish.
In addition to scheduled water change, consider having some snails and cleaner fish as Sun Catfish tank mates to help minimize aquarium waste. Adding an external filter can also help in this regard. However, considering that this species prefers slow-moving currents, akin to its natural habitat, the filter setting should be adjusted accordingly.
A young Sun Catfish, can quickly grow to a large 18+ inches!
Tank Mates
While the Sun Catfish might seem innocuous, it’s important to know that they can prey on tank-mates smaller than themselves. That being said, a pair of Sun Catfish tends to be peaceful among other fish of the same size, provided the aquarium is of an appropriate size.
If, however, you choose smaller Sun Catfish tank mates, they are likely to become the Sun Catfish’s next meal. The Sun Catfish will display a more community-oriented behavior in their youth, and prefer solitude when they mature. Regardless, it’s advisable to keep them in a group of at least five similar-sized fish to ensure their well-being.
A best approach is to introduce the Sunspot fish and its tank mates to the aquarium at the same time to avoid territorial disputes.
Feeding Guide
- Diet: Omnivore, prefers meat/protein based food
- Frequency: Several small feedings per day
- Pellet Foods: Yes
- Flake Foods: Yes
- Live Foods: Yes
- Meat Foods: Yes
- Vegetable Foods: Yes
The Sun Catfish’s diet in its natural habitat varies between animal-based and plant-based food at different growth stages.
So, while they do relish live feed, you can also provide them with frozen meaty food such as prawns, earthworms, and mussels. Dried pellets can also substitute for such meals to provide variety.
By varying the diet of the Sun Catfish, you can ensure that the fish stays healthy and maintains interest in feeding. Luckily, this predator is not a picky eater and one or two feeding sessions per day should suffice for its well-being and growth.
Also, make sure to feed them only the amount they can consume to prevent food from sinking to the bottom and spoiling the water in the aquarium.
Breeding
While young Sun catfish enjoy socializing and often form schools, they become more solitary as they reach maturity. This is why breeding Sun Catfish in an aquarium setting is not advisable, and is seldom successful. To prepare your Sunspot Fish for reproduction, you’ll first need to provide them with a spacious area for them to reach their growth level of sexual maturity. Ponds are often the preffered setup.
Even if you prepare an aquarium as big as 200 gallons for breeding, there’s no guarantee that the fish will attain the necessary size for reproduction. Therefore, breeding Sun Catfish is nearly an unachievable feat for hobby aquarists.
In their natural habitat, female Sunspot fish lay eggs which are then fertilized by male fish. As an enthusiast, you may want to consider obtaining juvenile Sun Catfish from fish farms to add to your aquarium.