Hancock's Talking Catfish

Amblydoras hancocki is a small, secretive doradid found throughout the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. Its body is covered in rows of interlocking bony scutes adorned with fine pale spots, providing both physical protection and effective camouflage among leaf litter and wood. Like all talking catfish, it can produce audible sounds using its pectoral spine stridulation mechanism.

In the aquarium, Hancock's Talking Catfish rarely shows itself during daylight hours, preferring to remain hidden inside tight caves, under flat pieces of slate, or deep within driftwood tangles. When the lights go out, it emerges to forage actively across the substrate. Its small size relative to many other doradids makes it manageable in community tanks of 100 litres or more.

This species is best paired with peaceful South American community fish. It does not harm plants and is generally tolerant of most tankmates that are not small enough to be eaten. Feed with sinking catfish pellets, frozen bloodworm, and small snails or shrimp that it will readily accept after dark.

Water: 22–27°C, pH 6.0–7.5, soft to moderately hard (GH 2–15). Tank: 100 L minimum; multiple tight caves and driftwood hides; sand or fine gravel substrate. Feeding: Sinking pellets, wafers, frozen bloodworm, small snails, and shrimp; nocturnal feeder. Breeding: Unreported in home aquaria; presumed to require specific wet/dry season simulation. Compatibility: Peaceful with fish too large to swallow; ideal with larger tetras, corydoras, and small to medium cichlids.