Mottled talking catfish – Erethistes jerdoni

The Deltawing Dwarf Catfish (Erethistes jerdoni) is one of the smallest known catfish in the world – and a true rarity in aquariums! With its flattened body, widely splayed pectoral fins, and typical "deltawing" shape, it looks like a tiny aquatic insect. Despite its minuteness, it is robust, peaceful, and extremely interesting to observe.

In nature, Erethistes jerdoni inhabits clear, cool streams in Northeast India and Nepal. It prefers to stay near the bottom, searching for food among leaves, roots, and stones. This species is calm, crepuscular, and ideal for small, well-filtered aquariums with a gentle current.

🌿 Characteristics & Care:
🐟 Fish Size: S (approx. 2–2.5 cm, adult)
🌍 Origin: South Asia (Northeast India, Nepal) – Wild Caught
🌡️ Temperature: 20–25 °C
💧 pH Value: 6.5–7.5
⚖️ Total Hardness: up to 15 °dGH
🐠 Social Behavior: Peaceful, calm, crepuscular
🏞️ Aquarium: from 40 l with sand substrate, gentle current, roots & leaves

🍽️ Feeding:
The Deltawing Dwarf Catfish prefers fine frozen and live food such as Cyclops, Artemia nauplii, or microworms. It will also accept fine, sinking granules after acclimatization. A varied, protein-rich diet promotes its vitality.

💡 Tip:
Erethistes jerdoni prefers cool, oxygen-rich water with a gentle current. Dense planting, soft substrate, and fine current create ideal conditions. In groups of 5 or more, it exhibits natural, calm social behavior.

👉 Conclusion:
The Deltawing Dwarf Catfish (Erethistes jerdoni) is a tiny, peaceful mini catfish with an exceptional body shape – a true rarity for enthusiasts of small species and nano aquariums.