🐟 Asian Bumblebee Catfish (Pseudomystus siamensis)
Bold Yellow-and-Black Nocturnal Hunter • A Characterful Catfish for Barbs and Danios • Shy by Day, Active After Dark
 
📋 The Asian Bumblebee Catfish is a striking nocturnal catfish with bold yellow-and-black banding, native to the Chao Phraya, Maeklong, and Mekong river basins of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. It's shy by day, resting in caves and crevices, then comes out to hunt after dark, which makes it a fascinating, characterful addition to a community tank.
It grows larger than you might expect, up to about 15-18cm, and it's territorial toward other bottom dwellers, especially its own kind. It will eat any tankmate small enough to count as food, but it gets along well with medium-to-large, fast-swimming fish such as barbs, danios, and rasboras that live in other parts of the tank. Handle with care when netting, since its barbels can tangle easily.
A different, smaller South American catfish is also sold as a "Bumblebee Catfish." The two look similar as juveniles but aren't interchangeable, so confirm you're getting Pseudomystus siamensis if that's the one you want.
 
💡 Highlights
🐝 Bold Bumblebee Pattern: Striking yellow-and-black bands
🌙 Nocturnal Hunter: Shy by day, active after dark
🐟 Great With Barbs, Danios, and Rasboras: Fast, medium-to-large tankmates suit it
🔍 Not the Same as the South American Bumblebee: A larger, different species
📏 Grows to About 15-18cm: A substantial catfish