Boofhead Catfish 15cm

Boof Head Catfish

Trying to find monster catfish such as red tails, tiger shovel noses, and similar species is quite a hard task in Australia, but what we tend to skim over is that Australia gives us an amazing large growing catfish species. The comically named boof head catfish is found in the northern, tropical regions of Australia and can reach a maximum size of around 80 cm which makes them a proper Aussie monster fish. The boofheads are actually a species of salmon tail catfish that do require really big aquariums. They are however a fairly hardy species that can tolerate a range of different water parameters and have been found schooling together. This makes the boofhead catfish a great fish to add some life to a larger system. 

The boofhead catfish gets their name due to the tough, bony head they have and this name most likely came from anglers catching this species as a sports fish. These are catfish that share a closer resemblance to sharks because of their high dorsal fin and broad pectoral fins. They also spend a lot of time swimming in the open water compared to other catfish which is why these make for a great species to add volume and movement to the aquarium. Colouration-wise, boofhead catfish are not the brightest fish, they tend to have an ash grey body with highlights of olive green when adults. The underbelly can range between a white to almost gold colouration but what the boofheads lack in colouration they make for a stocky body shape and movement.  

Boof heads are very tolerant of members of their own species and will actually be found in large schools out in the wild but they can also be kept as a solitary species, especially when adults. Due to their sheer size, breeding these fish in the home aquarium has basically not been recorded. Other salmon tail species are however bred in captivity through large aquaculture facilities which means they do not have to be caught from the wild. In some cases, boofhead catfish are used in aquaponic systems because of their eating quality and are a common sports fish for avid anglers. 

Tank Recommendations for your Boof Head Catfish

Since the boof head catfish reach around 80 cm it is best to keep them in a minimum aquarium volume of around 800 litres. These are active fish that are always moving and in smaller aquarium sizes they can get easily startled and start crashing into the glass. It’s actually better to keep these fish with minimal hardscape due to the higher risk of them being injured in the aquarium. If you did want a hardscape, it would be best to have a thin, sandy substrate along with large, smooth river stones and cave-like driftwood. 

Suitable Tank Buddies

Boofhead catfish have surprisingly large mouths and are opportunistic feeders that will attempt to eat anything they think will fit in their mouth. As long as these fish are kept with large tank mates, they are quite peaceful and won't attack other fish for territorial disputes in a large enough system. 

Usually Compatible

Barramundi, Australian Lungfish, Freshwater Stingrays, jade perch, Oscar, Silver perch, and other larger, semi-aggressive fish. 

Sometimes Compatible

Jaguar cichlids, jack dempsey cichlids, and other medium-growing cichlid species may become prey to the catfish. 

Rarely Compatible

Nano nano fish because it’s almost certain that the boof head catfish may attempt to eat a fish smaller than the size of its mouth. There are also some species that are too aggressive for these catfish such as Murray cod or dovii cichlids. 

Feeding your Boofhead Catfish

These boofhead catfish will take to aquarium foods right away like pellets. Giving them protein-rich carnivore fish pellets along with blackworms, earthworms, and other meaty foods will provide a great, well-rounded diet. Whilst it may seem fun to feed these predatory fish live foods it’s best to avoid live feeder fish since these have a high risk of carrying diseases unless you have bred and raised them yourself.