Frogmouth catfish
Chaca chaca
- Tank length
- 45 cm18 in
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 22–24 °C72–75 °F
- pH
- 6–8
- Adult size
- 15 cm6 in
- Lifespan
- 8–12 yrs
An ambush predator that can swallow fish nearly its own length; keep only with much larger tankmates.An ambush predator that can swallow fish nearly its own length; keep only with much larger tankmates.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
Amano shrimpFrogmouth catfish may eat Amano shrimpFrogmouth catfish may eat Amano shrimp
- American flagfish
Frogmouth catfish may eat American flagfishFrogmouth catfish may eat American flagfish
Assassin snailFrogmouth catfish may eat Assassin snailFrogmouth catfish may eat Assassin snail
- Bandit cory
Frogmouth catfish may eat Bandit coryFrogmouth catfish may eat Bandit cory
- Black kuhli loach
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Black neon tetraFrogmouth catfish may eat Black neon tetraFrogmouth catfish may eat Black neon tetra
- Black phantom tetra
Frogmouth catfish may eat Black phantom tetraFrogmouth catfish may eat Black phantom tetra
- Blackline rasbora
Frogmouth catfish may eat Blackline rasboraFrogmouth catfish may eat Blackline rasbora
- Bleeding heart tetra
Frogmouth catfish may eat Bleeding heart tetraFrogmouth catfish may eat Bleeding heart tetra
- Bloodfin tetra
Frogmouth catfish may eat Bloodfin tetraFrogmouth catfish may eat Bloodfin tetra
- Blue emperor tetra
Frogmouth catfish may eat Blue emperor tetraFrogmouth catfish may eat Blue emperor tetra
- Blue lyretail
Frogmouth catfish may eat Blue lyretailFrogmouth catfish may eat Blue lyretail
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 22–24 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 6–8 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 1–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low confidence |
| Origin | Rivers of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | sedentary | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | predatory | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 8–12 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 24 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |