Taxonomy & naming
Tympanopleura piperata Eigenmann, 1912 is the valid name in the Catalog of Fishes. It was described from Crab Falls on the Essequibo River, Guyana. The store listed the fish as 'cf. piperatus', so the exact identity of the fish sold has not been established. The epithet is Latin for 'peppered', which fits a spotted pattern.
Morphology
Tympanopleura are small to mid-sized driftwood catfishes (Auchenipteridae) with a smooth, scaleless body, a short adipose fin, a strong spine at the front of the dorsal and pectoral fins, and, in this genus, a fairly deep body and short barbels. FishBase gives this species a maximum of 3.5 in SL.
Habitat
FishBase gives its range as the Essequibo and the upper Rio Negro near the confluence of the Rio Branco, and lists it as a freshwater, pelagic tropical fish. The type locality is on the Essequibo River in Guyana.
Feeding
Diet in the wild is not recorded in the sources available to the atlas. Driftwood catfishes are usually nocturnal and eat insects, crustaceans and small items taken from the water column and the bottom. In captivity they accept frozen foods and sinking pellets.
Mating
Auchenipterids fertilise internally, and males have a modified anal fin used to transfer sperm. Details of mating in this species are not recorded in the sources available to the atlas.
Breeding
Captive breeding of this species is not recorded in the sources available to the atlas.
In the aquarium
Offer wood and cave shelter and subdued light, and house it with peaceful fish too large to be eaten. Handle with care because of the pectoral spines. FishBase gives no temperature, pH or hardness range for this species.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List assessed it as Least Concern in 2020, meaning it is not considered at risk of extinction at present. The effect of collecting and habitat change has not been described.