fish · Loricariidae
Giant whiptail
Sturisoma aureum
Wild range: Northern Colombia (trans-Andean): the lower and middle Río Magdalena and its tributaries, including the Cesar and San Jorge basins; Catalog of Fishes also lists the Baudó, Sinú and Ranchería basins. Type locality Sororia Creek at Jagua de Ibiricó, lower Magdalena basin, Cesar Department (neotype designated by Londoño-Burbano & Reis 2019). (South America)
At a glance: Giant whiptail care
Compiled reference information. Review the care notes and original sources below.
What temperature is listed for Giant whiptail?
The compiled profile lists 20.0–26.0 °C for Giant whiptail (Sturisoma aureum). Check the original sources below for context and differing recommendations.
What tank size is listed for Giant whiptail?
The profile lists a minimum tank volume of 55.0 US gallons (208.0 liters). Volume alone does not establish suitability; consider dimensions, group size and other inhabitants alongside the full care notes.
What pH is listed for Giant whiptail?
The compiled profile lists a pH of 6.0–7.5. Review the cited care sources alongside the other water parameters in this profile.
Natural habitat
A long, slender, flattened whiptail catfish (Loricariinae) from the Río Magdalena system of northern Colombia. It is golden-brown with a dark stripe along each side, and in good condition it trails a long filament from the upper lobe of the tail fin; the other fins are not extended (Planet Catfish; FishBase; Maidenhead Aquatics). It rests motionless on wood, rocks, plants, or the glass for long periods and grazes biofilm and algae. Adults reach about 15–20 cm standard length, and more when the tail filament is counted. It is the whiptail most often exported from Colombia, and captive-bred stock is also common.
Where they are found
Catalog primary is kept as the established trade/ITIS name Sturisoma aureum (Steindachner, 1900): ITIS TSN 680544 'Sturisoma aureum (Steindachner, 1900)'. The name is still widely used in the trade and by retailers (Aqualog, Aquarium Wiki, Fast Aquatics, Reef Trak). Catalog of Fishes, FishBase, GBIF and Planet Catfish now place it in Sturisomatichthys as Sturisomatichthys aureus (Steindachner 1900), following Covain et al. (2015/2016, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 94:492–517), DoNascimiento et al. (2017) and the genus revision of Londoño-Burbano & Reis (2019, Copeia 107:764–806). That name and the gender-mismatched variant 'Sturisomatichthys aureum' (used by GBIF and Maidenhead) are in aliases. Original combination Loricaria aurea Steindachner 1900 (Anz. Akad. Wiss. Wien 37(18):206). The original type (ZSM) was destroyed in WWII, and the neotype is ICNMHN 24054. Family Loricariidae, subfamily Loricariinae. IUCN Red List: Data Deficient (Usma et al. 2016; GBIF IUCN checklist and FishBase 2025-2). Planet Catfish shows 'Not Evaluated', which was not adopted. LOOKALIKE CAUTION: Sturisomatichthys festivus (formerly Sturisoma festivum, 'Royal farlowella', Lake Maracaibo basin) looks almost identical and was long sold as S. aureum. Festivus has clearly elongated first rays on the dorsal, pectoral and pelvic fins (aureus extends only the upper tail lobe), and the two have been crossed in captive strains (Aquarium Glaser; Planet Catfish; loricariidae.no via Indo Fish Exporter). S. aureus is also often mislabelled as S. panamense/panamensis ('Royal whiptail'), which Planet Catfish and Aquarium Glaser say is not commercially exported. Sturisomatichthys leightoni is often mixed into Colombian shipments. See catalog royal-whiptail (Sturisoma panamense), twig-catfish and whiptail-catfish (Rineloricaria fallax).
Aquarium care
Minimum is set at 55 US gallons (~208 L) for adults: FishBase gives a 120 cm minimum aquarium; Atlarium and Aquatic-Art give ≥200 L with a 120–150 cm footprint; Fast Aquatics 55 gal; Reef Trak 50 gal; Aqualog 100–200 cm. A long footprint matters more than height, because cramped tanks damage the long fin filaments (Atlarium). Temperature is set at 20–26°C: Planet Catfish 20–26°C notes that it 'prefers slightly cooler water and may not thrive' above 26°C; Maidenhead gives 20–25°C and the Aquarium Wiki 20–26°C. Wholesale and database sources run warmer: FishBase 25–29°C, ScotCat and Aquarium Glaser 24–28°C, AquaInfo 25–29°C. Around 24–26°C satisfies most sources. pH is set at 6.0–7.5 (ScotCat 6.0–7.5; AquaInfo 6.0–7.5; Atlarium 6.5–7.5; Planet Catfish 6.6–7.6; Maidenhead 6.5–7.2; FishBase 6.0–8.0) and GH at 5–15 dGH (FishBase and Aquarium Wiki dH 5–19; Maidenhead dH up to 15; Atlarium GH 2–15). Provide soft sand rather than sharp gravel, driftwood, smooth rocks, and broad-leaved epiphytes such as Anubias and Java fern. Use efficient filtration with areas of brisk flow plus quieter resting spots, a high oxygen level, and small, frequent water changes. It is sensitive to nitrate and poor water quality, and the tail filament degrades in dirty water (Maidenhead Aquatics; Aquatic-Art; AquaInfo; Aquarist Atlas). Dim or diffused lighting suits it (Maidenhead Aquatics).
Feeding
Mainly herbivorous aufwuchs grazer that rasps algae and biofilm from wood, stone, plants, and glass (FishBase; Planet Catfish; ScotCat). Feed sinking algae and spirulina wafers and blanched vegetables daily, such as courgette/zucchini, cucumber, spinach, kale, and peas. Add small meaty foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp, Daphnia, or mosquito larvae about once a week rather than as the staple (Planet Catfish; ScotCat; Maidenhead Aquatics; BreederDirect). It is a slow, quiet feeder that cannot live on tank algae alone. Make sure food reaches it before faster bottom-dwellers take it, and feed after lights-out if needed (Aquarium Glaser; Aquatic-Art; Aquarium Wiki).
Compatibility
Very peaceful and somewhat shy. Good tankmates are calm community fish such as tetras, pencilfish, hatchetfish, Corydoras, dwarf cichlids, and angelfish (Maidenhead Aquatics; Aquatic-Art; Atlarium; Planet Catfish). Avoid fin-nippers such as tiger barbs, which shred the tail filament, aggressive cichlids, and boisterous loricariids or large plecos that outcompete it for food (Planet Catfish; Maidenhead Aquatics; Atlarium). It can be kept singly, as a pair, or as a small group in a large tank. Mature males may squabble over resting spots and breeding sites (Aquarium Glaser; Atlarium). It ignores shrimp and plants (Aquatic-Art). community_safe is true. Do not confuse it with Sturisomatichthys festivus (Royal farlowella), which has elongated dorsal and pectoral fin rays, or with S. panamense (Royal whiptail).
Breeding
Breeds readily in a mature, well-oxygenated tank. A pair spawns on the front or side glass, often near the filter outflow. The male guards and fans the egg patch until it hatches in about 5–9 days at warmer temperatures, while the female ignores it (Maidenhead Aquatics; ScotCat; Planet Catfish/Shane's World). Raise fry on finely ground algae and spirulina foods, softened greens, and newly hatched Artemia, with frequent small water changes (ScotCat; Aquarist Atlas). Sexing: mature males show bristly odontodes on the cheeks and snout, and females are fuller-bodied with smooth cheeks. Adult males do not tolerate each other well (Aquarium Glaser).
Sources
Compiled from multiple independent care sheets — not copied from a single site.