Ventral view
Ventral view showing key ID features.
Male hatching eggs.
Habitat: Venezuelan llanos in the dry season
Lateral view
Dorsal view of female
Male sitting on green eggs
Male with eggs
Odontodes on male's head, cheeks & pectoral fins
Pair, female to left
Six month old juvenile
Fry
Close-up of tail
Dorsal view
Color variation
Male
2.5 months old, 30 mm TL
Male
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Scientific Name | Rineloricaria eigenmanni (Pellegrin, 1908) |
Common Name | Common Whiptail Catfish |
Type Locality | Sarare, Venezuela. |
Synonym(s) | Hemiloricaria eigenmanni, Loricaria eigenmanni |
Pronunciation | rhine lor ee kar ee ah. - EYE gn MAN eye. |
Etymology | Greek, rhinos = nose + Latin, lorica, loricare = cuirass of corslet of leather. Species named in honour of Dr. Carl H. Eigenmann, Professor of Ichthyology in Indiana (1863-1927). |
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Size | 102mm or 4" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp. |
Identification | This is a very common species. Easily identified by the combination of barred fins and the dark lines on the ventral sides of the tail. |
Sexing | Males grow short spines in the top of their heads and pectoral fins. |
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Distribution | South America. Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there) Amazon, Middle Amazon (Solimoes), Negro, Lower Negro, Branco (Roraima) (click on these areas to find other species found there) Log in to view data on a map. |
IUCN Red List Category | Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020. |
pH | 6.0 - 7.4 |
Temperature | 24.0-29.0°C or 75.2-84.2°F (Show species within this range) |
Other Parameters | Needs neutral, soft water to initiate spawning. |
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Feeding | Adaptable omnivores, these fish will eat most foods from cucumber or zucchini slices to frozen bloodworm or dry flake foods. |
Furniture | Rounded stones, sticks, and leaves over sand. The fish should be provided with half-pipe type refuges which also often be used as spawning sites. |
Compatibility | Peaceful and not territorial, will not harm even the smallest fry. |
Suggested Tankmates | See article. |
Breeding | See article. |
Breeding Reports | There is no breeding report. |
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Reference | Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France v. 33 (for 25 June 1908), pp 125. |
Registered Keepers | Keeping this species? Why not . There is no registered keeper. |
Wishlists | Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species. |
Spotters | Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 10 records of this fish being seen, view them all. |
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![]() | Look up Rineloricaria eigenmanni on Encyclopedia of Life |
Look up Rineloricaria eigenmanni on Global Biodiversity Information Facility | |
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Last Update | 2020 Sep 17 11:51 (species record created: 2003 Aug 08 00:00) |