What is a Whiptail Catfish?

A whiptail catfish is a kind of small tropical fish with fleshy whiskers on the end of its snout and an extremely slender, eel-like body. It is also known as the twig catfish due to its resemblance to a submerged twig. This resemblance is enhanced by its mottled brown coloration.

The entire body of the whiptail, not just the tail, is thin and elongated. It has armor plates on its body as further protection if its twig-like camouflage fails. The whiptail is native to South America, particularly the area around Caracas in Venezuela. It's extremely rare and not commonly sold in the pet trade. There are many similar-looking species in the genus Farlowella, to which it belongs.