Twig Catfish

Farlowella species

A long, thin South American catfish that looks like a stick and is one of the only fish known to eat wood.

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About the Twig Catfish

Twig catfish are 5 to 7 inches long, with long, thin, brownish bodies, pointed noses and two dark stripes. Bony plates called scutes protect them. They live in the Amazon, Orinoco and Paraná rivers and rivers of the Guiana Shield, where submerged leaves and sticks help them hide. They use dozens of tiny, spoon-shaped teeth to scrape wood and algae.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Farlowella species^[1]
Size: 5 to 7 inches long.^[1]
Diet: Wood and algae.^[1]
Habitat: Rivers with submerged dead leaves and sticks.^[1]
Where it lives: The Amazon, Orinoco and Paraná rivers and rivers of the Guiana Shield.^[1]
Babies: Eggs laid in a single layer on rocks and plants; males guard them.^[1]
Conservation status: Not evaluated by the IUCN.^[1]

Fun facts

Twig catfish are among the only fish that eat wood for energy.^[1]
They look so much like sticks that they're hard to spot.^[1]
They have dozens of tiny spoon-shaped teeth.^[1]

Vocabulary

fish: A cold-blooded animal that lives in water, breathes with gills and usually has fins and scales.
camouflage: Colors or patterns that help an animal blend in.
scute: A bony plate or scale on an animal's skin or shell.
genus: A group of closely related species.
oviparous: Laying eggs that hatch outside the mother's body.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · AmazoniaSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Twig catfish.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/twig-catfish (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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