Taxonomy & naming
Described by Max Weber in 1913 and later moved to Neosilurus, hence the parentheses. The type locality is the Lorentz River, Merauke, Papua, Indonesia. It is a valid species in the Catalog of Fishes. The epithet is Latin equinus, 'of a horse'; the sources available to the atlas do not give the reason.
Morphology
Neosilurus are eel-tailed catfishes: a long body with a tapering tail that merges the dorsal, caudal and anal fins, four pairs of barbels and a spined pectoral and dorsal fin. FishBase gives a maximum of 15 in TL for this species.
Habitat
FishBase lists central-southern New Guinea, including the upper Kikori (with Lake Kutubu), Fly-Strickland and Lorentz river systems. It is mainly restricted to headwater streams in hilly or mountainous terrain, preferring clear, fast-flowing water, usually in deep rocky pools, and it can climb torrential streams and small waterfalls.
Feeding
A bottom-feeding omnivore-carnivore of insects, crustaceans and small fish, by genus default; no species-specific diet study is known to the atlas.
Mating
Mating behaviour is not documented for Neosilurus equinus in the sources available to the atlas. Sexes cannot be separated reliably from the information available.
Breeding
No aquarium breeding record is known to the atlas.
In the aquarium
Plotosid catfish carry venomous fin spines, so net with care and wear gloves for handling. Offer a large tank with strong flow, rocky pools, hiding places and sinking foods. It will eat small tankmates.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List assessed Neosilurus equinus as Least Concern in 2020.