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Encyclopedia / Catfish & Plecos / Royal farlowella
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Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Royal farlowella

Sturisomatichthys panamensis · Sturisoma panamense, Sturisoma, Royal whiptail

Peaceful and slow; needs oxygenated water and vegetable matter.

The true Sturisomatichthys panamensis is not exported. Fish sold under this name are usually a close relative.

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26 cmBody length, without tail ✓
24–28 °CTemperature ✓
6.5–7.2pH ✓
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Royal farlowella is tropical.
  • They need different temperatures (24–28 °C vs 14–22 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (24–28 °C vs 10–22 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • Oscar is aggressive and will bully peaceful royal farlowella.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

311 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ?Unknown
Group size ?3 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Herbivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 7–12 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful and slow; needs oxygenated water and vegetable matter.

  • wood
  • current

Food

Sinking algae wafers, blanched vegetables, bloodworms, and plenty of leaf litter or wood to graze on.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Mature males grow odontodes (bristles) along the sides of the head and snout; females lack them.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Open spawner · Hard

An open spawner, not a cave spawner: the female lays the eggs on the tank glass or plants, and the male guards and fans them.

Pairing

Keep 2-3 males with several females; the male guards the eggs.

Setup

80-100 L tank with sand, smooth bamboo or pipe caves, and cool, well-oxygenated water.

What starts it

A cool water change and good flow often triggers spawning.

Eggs

About 100 eggs are laid on the glass or on plants (not in a cave); the male tends them and they hatch in 7-9 days.

Raising the fry

Fry are tiny; feed biofilm, crushed spirulina flake, and microworms. Keep the water very clean.

Common mistakes
  • Hard, warm water
  • Rough substrate that damages their bellies
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionCentral & South America – Panama, Colombia & Ecuador
Rivers and lakesRivers of Panama and Pacific and Caribbean drainages of Colombia and Ecuador
HabitatFlowing rivers with wood and rocks
Native rangeAbout 600 km across
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The story of the royal farlowella

A long, slender twig-like catfish from the rivers of Panama, Colombia and Ecuador. It has shorter fins without the long filaments of S. festivus, is peaceful, and lays its eggs on open vertical surfaces. Rarely exported: fish sold under this name are usually S. festivus or S. aureus.

Carl and Rosa Eigenmann described this fish in 1889, naming it after Panama. Its range extends north into Panama, west of the Andes. Long tail filaments and an elegant body give it the name royal farlowella.

First described by Carl H. Eigenmann & Rosa Smith Eigenmann in 1889. Named for Named after Panama.

  • Breeding males grow bristles along their cheeks.
  • Eggs are laid on open surfaces and guarded by the male.
  • It reaches around 20 cm in length.

Sources

14 facts checked with sources