Named for its skin pattern, which resembles that of a giraffe, this fish has scaleless skin. In addition to intake through the gills, it can absorb oxygen directly from the water through its skin.
An opportunistic feeder, it picks plants, invertebrates, even dead fish off the riverbed with its down-turned mouth.
The eggs are guarded by the male parent. He even cares for the eggs and young of another catfish species, which takes advantage of the ready nest.