PlanetCatfish.com - Vandellia cirrhosa (Trichomycteridae) Cat-eLog

Close-up of head
Rio Acari, Madeira drainage
Feeding on blood within larger fishes gill chamber

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Vandellia cirrhosa** Valenciennes, 1846
Common Names	Candiru Almindelig Snyltemalle (Denmark)
Type Locality	Probably from America [= South America].
Synonym(s)	Plectrochilus erythrurus, Urinophilus erythrurus, Vandellia balzanii, Vandellia gigantea, Vandellia plazae, Vandellia plazaii
Pronunciation	sir hoe sah
Etymology	Vandellia: Named after M Vandelli.
Species Information
Size	170mm or 6.7" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Transparent to yellowish body, fleshy dorsal fin without strong spine.
General Remarks	The fish of this genus are the true vampire-style parasites of the otherwise ill-named parasitic catfish family. In nature they sense the passing of larger fish by the dissolved waste in the water streaming out of their gills. This attracts the parasite to the gill cavity where it feeds, dropping off to lie on the substrate when sated and visibily full to bursting with blood. Legends abound and surround this fish as it can mistake the urination of partially submerged mammals (including humans) for the exhalent gills of fishes and enter the urogenital openings of the very unfortunate mammal. A fascinating piece of trivia is that this fish is often referred to as the only vertebrate parasite of man.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: Amazon River basin. Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there) Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
pH	6.0 - 7.0
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Despite recorded attempts to feed this fish chopped fish gills, blood (via a dropper) and conventional foods, it appears this fish is specialised to the point that it can only feed from live fish. User data.
Furniture	Doesn't appear to like bright conditions, so floating plants should be offered. When not actively swimming around in search of its next victim, the fish will rest on the bottom, particularly after feeding.
Compatibility	For obvious reasons this fish should be kept alone; smaller fish are not ignored by this fish and can be killed outright by one parasitic visitation.
Suggested Tankmates	Food and other Vandellia.
Breeding	Unreported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Histoire naturelle des poissons v. 18, pp 386, Pl. 547.
Registered Keepers	There are 2 registered keepers, view all "my cats" data.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There is but a single record of this fish being seen, view it.
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	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.26.270.1056
Last Update	2025 Jan 01 12:28 (species record created: 2003 Jun 28 00:00)