Name: Hara Hara Catfish
Brand: Brooklands
SKU: TG24
Price: 14.9 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

Hara Hara Catfish

Product Details

Hara Hara Catfish

NOT AVAILABLE TO SHIP - In-store Only

Overview: The Hara hara catfish is frequently confused in the aquarium trade with its slightly smaller, more popular close relative, Hara jerdoni (commonly sold under names like the Moth Catfish, Anchor Catfish, or Jerdon's Mini Catfish). It gets its "Anchor" nickname from its incredible silhouette: it possesses disproportionately long, pectoral fin spines that lock out horizontally, making the tiny fish look exactly like a miniature boat anchor. They feature a heavily textured, knobby skin colored in mottled shades of chocolate brown, tan, and grey, serving as the ultimate camouflage.

Origins: They are native to the slow-moving, shallow rivers, streams, and tea-stained marshes of Northern India and Bangladesh. They are typically found wedged tightly among decaying leaf litter, tangled plant roots, and aquatic vegetation.

Personality: These are arguably some of the most inactive fish in the entire hobby. They are strictly nocturnal and masters of staying completely still. During the day, they will find a dark corner, a clump of moss, or a piece of wood and rest there for hours without moving a muscle—so much so that you might occasionally poke around to make sure they are still breathing! At night, they use their highly sensitive barbels (whiskers) to slowly bumble along the substrate looking for tiny micro-organisms to eat.

Care Level: Easy to Intermediate (Due to their tiny size and shy feeding habits)
Temperament: Peaceful (Completely harmless to everything, including baby shrimp)
Diet: Carnivore/Scavenger (They will not eat flakes or pellets. They must be fed tiny live or frozen foods like baby brine shrimp, daphnia, micro-worms, and frozen bloodworms dropped into the tank after the lights go completely out).
Max Size: 3 – 4 cm (Truly miniature!)
Family: Erethistidae
Tank Size: 30 – 40 Litres minimum (Perfect for nano or desktop tanks)
Temperature: 18°C – 24°C (Crucial Note: They prefer cooler, subtropical water. They do not handle high, stagnant tropical heat well and require highly oxygenated water).
pH: 6.5 – 7.5
Should be kept in groups? Yes. They are highly social with their own kind and feel significantly more secure when kept in a small group of 3 to 6. When housed together, they will often stack themselves up like little logs under a favorite piece of wood.

Pro Tip: Because Hara jerdoni are so incredibly small, slow, and passive, they should never be kept in a standard community tank with large or fast-moving fish. Energetic tank mates like Danios or Tetras will snap up all the food before the tiny catfish even realizes it's feeding time. They are best suited for a dedicated nano tank alongside freshwater dwarf shrimp or micro-rasboras.