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No federal permit to keepAfrican bullhead
Lophiobagrus cyclurus
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Claroteidae (African whiskered catfish)
The African bullhead (Lophiobagrus cyclurus) is a species of claroteid catfish endemic to Lake Tanganyika at the border of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 3.1 in / 8 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–79°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 7.5–8.
- Hardness: 15–25 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
- Safety: Venomous spines or sting: handle with care and keep a first-aid plan; never handle with bare hands.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 30 × 12 in (roughly 18 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: hard, alkaline water, 73–79 °F, pH 7.5–9, 15–30 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament predatory.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Should be housed in a Lake Tanganyika biotope setup, with piles of rocks arranged to form caves in which it can seek refuge.”
- Tankmates: “Although very small fish will be eaten, it will live happily in most communities of Tanganyikan catfish and cichlids.”
- Breeding: “Rarely bred in aquaria but it has been achieved.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
African whiskered catfish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: These African bottom-dwellers include riverine Auchenoglanis and Chrysichthys and small rock-sheltering Lophiobagrus endemic to Lake Tanganyika [fg236-auchen, fg236-aluminium, fg236-bullhead]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For Lophiobagrus cyclurus, the published bare minimum is 75 × 30 × 30 cm (about 18 US gallons); use larger quarters for a group.
- Use soft sand, numerous rock caves and tubes, and dim lighting for Lophiobagrus.
- Keep L. cyclurus in hard alkaline water: pH 7.8–8.8, hardness 15–25 dH.
- Provide efficient filtration, oxygenation, moderate current and frequent partial water changes for Lophiobagrus.
- Guard heaters to prevent burns when catfish rest against them.
- Auchenoglanis biscutatus needs a large aquarium, sandy bottom and an adult-sized shelter; do not apply the dwarf bullhead tank minimum.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 73.4–78.8°F |
Diet
- Sinking catfish pellets, tablets or granules for Lophiobagrus.
- Frozen chironomid larvae and Mysis for Lophiobagrus.
- Occasional cucumber, courgette or algae wafers for Lophiobagrus.
- Worms for Chrysichthys longipinnis.
- Appropriately sized crustaceans and accepted frozen foods for Auchenoglanis.
Social life
- L. cyclurus is gregarious: keep at least five with peaceful companions too large to swallow. Large river catfish also require tankmates beyond swallowing size.
Health watch
- Barbel damage on unsuitable substrate.
- Heater burns.
- Nutritional deficiency.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
This species grows to a length of 8.0 centimetres (3.1 in) TL. This species is nocturnal in habit, hiding amongst rocks during daylight hours. The diet consists of small crustaceans, beetle larvae and chironomid larvae.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “African bullhead” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Stays near the bottom. Concealed mostly among rocks during daytime. Nocturnal habits prevail. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–79 °F (23–26 °C), pH 7.5–8, hardness 15–25 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: brood hiders. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–79 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 85°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 59°F (down to 53°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 68–78°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 61–73% on average (driest month about 57%) |
| Rainfall | about 1057 mm a year |
Measured at 19 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The African bullhead (Lophiobagrus cyclurus) is a species of claroteid catfish endemic to Lake Tanganyika at the border of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. This species grows to a length of 8.0 cm TL. This species is nocturnal in habit, hiding amongst rocks during daylight hours. The diet consists of small crustaceans, beetle larvae and chironomid larvae. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Previously thought that care of the eggs and young might be done by mouthbrooding solitary males; new findings describe the genus Lophiobagrus to be hiding its brood in caves. — FishBase |
| Biology | Concealed mostly among rocks during daytime. Nocturnal habits prevail. Feed on chironomid larvae, beetle larvae and small crustaceans with occasional ingestion of vegetable material. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 30 × 12 in (about 18 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Lophiobagrus cyclurus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Maidenhead Aquatics: Tanganyikan Bullhead Catfish Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Aquatic Community: Auchenoglanis biscutatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- ScotCat: Chrysichthys longipinnis Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.