Home · Aspredinidae · Nico's banjo catfish
Nico's banjo catfish (Acanthobunocephalus nicoi) — Aspredinidae

Nico's banjo catfish

Acanthobunocephalus nicoi
Family: Aspredinidae

The Nico's banjo catfish (Acanthobunocephalus nicoi) is a freshwater fish of the family Aspredinidae that grows up to 2 cm.

Length
2 cm
Water
Freshwater
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

Nico's banjo catfish is a small banjo catfish (Aspredinidae) from slow-flowing fresh water of the Orinoco and Amazon basin in South America. The species grows to about 5 cm and has a flattened, broad head tapering into a thin tail, so it resembles a banjo, with rough, tubercled skin that camouflages it among leaf litter and sand. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it lies still and hidden and snaps at small invertebrates and detritus. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Nico's banjo catfish?

The Nico's banjo catfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Nico's banjo catfish live?

The Nico's banjo catfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Nico's banjo catfish get?

The Nico's banjo catfish grows to a maximum of about 2 cm.

Is the Nico's banjo catfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Nico's banjo catfish is harmless to humans.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Nico's banjomeerval sourced
English name
Nico's banjo catfish sourced
Scientific name
Acanthobunocephalus nicoi
Family
Aspredinidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
2.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Aspredinidae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →