Twig Catfish

The Twig Catfish (Farlowella acus) is a slender, camouflaged armored catfish in the family Loricariidae, native to slow-moving rivers and streams of South America, particularly within the Amazon and Orinoco drainages. Its extremely elongated, thin body and mottled brown coloration give it a striking resemblance to a floating twig or plant stem, a form of camouflage that gives the species its common name. Twig Catfish are peaceful, algae-grazing fish that rely almost entirely on their disguise rather than speed or aggression to avoid predators. They are well known in the aquarium trade for their unusual shape and gentle temperament.

Twig Catfish are unmistakable among freshwater fish for their extreme, stick-like elongation.

• Body: very thin, elongated, and cylindrical, tapering toward a slender tail
• Color: mottled brown and tan, resembling bark or a dead twig
• Head: drawn out into a long, pointed snout with a small ventral sucker mouth
• Fins: reduced and inconspicuous, blending into the stick-like silhouette
• Size: 15-20 cm, though the body is only a few millimeters wide This body shape, far thinner and longer than other loricariid catfish such as Whiptail Catfish, is the clearest identifying feature and the source of its camouflage strategy.

Twig Catfish inhabit slow-flowing streams, backwaters, and vegetated margins of rivers throughout the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America. They are typically found among submerged branches, roots, and plant stems, environments their body shape closely mimics for camouflage. Water in their native range is generally warm, soft, and slightly acidic, often stained with tannins from decaying leaf litter. They favor areas with gentle current and abundant cover rather than open, fast-flowing channels, remaining motionless against submerged wood or vegetation for extended periods.

Twig Catfish rely primarily on camouflage and stillness rather than speed to avoid predators, often remaining motionless against submerged wood or plant stems for long periods so that their elongated shape and bark-like coloration blend into the background. They graze algae and biofilm from surfaces using their small sucker-like mouths, moving slowly across submerged wood and rock. The species is peaceful and largely solitary, showing little territorial behavior toward tankmates or conspecifics. As with other loricariids, males typically guard a small clutch of adhesive eggs laid on a flat surface, fanning them until hatching.