Aquarist Atlas
Catfish · Driftwood cats

Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus

(Kner, 1858)

Striped woodcat

Full synonymy (1)
  • Trachelyopterus taeniatus Kner 1858 · original combination

Source: Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes (Fricke, Eschmeyer & Van der Laan, eds.), California Academy of Sciences.

3 cited sourcesName checked against Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes, update of

IUCNLEAST CONCERN · 2020
CARESNOT LISTED
Type localityRio Guaporé, Brazilper Catalog of Fishes
Scientific size6 in15 cm total length
Temperature68–77 °F20–25 °C
pH5.8–7.2neutral
Hardness (GH)up to 268 ppm
Depth—not recorded
DietNot described for this species; sinking pellets and meaty frozen foods in the aquarium
BreedingInternal fertilisation typical of the family Auchenipteridae; not recorded for this species
Sexual dimorphismYesIn Auchenipteridae mature males carry a modified anal fin used in insemination; not documented for this species specifically
PhotographsSee photosGoogle Images →

Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus, the striped woodcat, is a driftwood catfish of the upper Amazon basin that stays near 6 in and fits a quiet, heavily structured aquarium.

What's in the name

Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus — trak-el-ee-op-TER-ik-thees tee-nee-AH-tus

Trachelyopterichthys
  • trachelosGreek — neck
  • pteronGreek — fin
  • ichthysGreek — fish
taeniatus
  • taeniaLatin — ribbon, band

Taxonomy & naming

Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus was described by Rudolf Kner in 1858 from the Rio Guaporé, Brazil and it is valid today in Trachelyopterichthys within the family Auchenipteridae. FishBase gives striped woodcat as its English name; the epithet is Latin for striped.

Morphology

A stocky, bluntly rounded woodcat with a pale ground colour and dark lateral stripes. FishBase gives a maximum of 6 in TL.

Habitat

FishBase records it from the upper Amazon River basin, giving 68–77 °F, a pH range of 5.8 to 7.2 and a hardness up to 15 dH.

Feeding

The diet is not described in the sources the atlas uses. Woodcats in the aquarium take sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and similar meaty foods, offered after dark.

Mating

Auchenipterids fertilise eggs internally, with the male using a modified anal fin; mating for this species specifically is not recorded.

Breeding

No captive breeding is recorded for the species.

In the aquarium

Provide a quiet tank with driftwood caves, dim light and gentle flow, at the cool end of tropical temperatures, and keep it with peaceful fish too large to be swallowed. It is a night forager; feed after lights-out.

Conservation

The IUCN Red List assessed Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus as Least Concern in 2020. The sources the atlas uses record no specific threats.

Common questions

Striped woodcat (Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus): how big does it get?
Up to 6 in total length (TL).
Striped woodcat (Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus): what water temperature does it need?
The atlas records 68–77 °F for this species.
Striped woodcat (Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus): what water chemistry suits it?
pH 5.8–7.2, general hardness (GH) up to 15 °dH.
Striped woodcat (Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus): where does it come from?
It is recorded from Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.

Biotope tank mates

Atlas fish recorded from the same waters, whose recorded temperature and pH ranges overlap this one’s and whose adults are within twice its size. A shortlist to research, not a stocking plan: temperament, territory and diet are not checked. Other genera only; this genus is compared below.

  • Characidium roesseli

    Shares Upper Amazon River basin · ranges overlap 72–77 °F, pH 5.8–7.2 · adults 3 in SL

  • Leporinus alternus

    Shares Upper Amazon River basin · ranges overlap 72–77 °F, pH 6–7 · adults 12 in TL

  • Auchenipterus ambyiacus

    Shares Upper Amazon River basin · ranges overlap 73–77 °F, pH 6.5–7.2 · adults 9.5 in SL

  • Bola PlecoPeckoltichthys bachi

    Shares Upper Amazon River basin · ranges overlap 72–77 °F, pH 6.2–7.2 · adults 5 in SL

  • Penguin tetraThayeria boehlkei

    Shares Upper Amazon River basin · ranges overlap 72–77 °F, pH 5.8–7.2 · adults 3 in TL

  • Jupiaba anterior

    Shares Upper Amazon River basin · ranges overlap 72–77 °F, pH 6–7.2 · adults 4.5 in SL

Also from the Upper Amazon River basin

Sources

  1. FishBase — Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus (Kner, 1858)
  2. Catalog of Fishes (Eschmeyer, California Academy of Sciences) — Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus, family Auchenipteridae
  3. IUCN Red List — Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus

Naming authority: Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus in Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes ↗

Last reviewed 2026-10-05.

How to cite

Aquarist Atlas (2026). Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus. Aquarist Atlas.https://www.aquaristatlas.com/catfish/trachelyopterichthys-taeniatus/

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Where it has been recorded

70 georeferenced records (GBIF). Each point is a field observation or museum specimen — pan and zoom to explore where this species turns up. The coordinates come straight from GBIF and are often rounded or tied to the nearest town or river landing, so a dot can sit just beside the actual water rather than in it.

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