As in the other talking catfishes, Spotted Doradid is able to produce sounds by rotating its pectoral fin spines and amplifying this via its swimbladder. The overall color is almost black, overlaid with numerous white or cream spots.
Catfish represent one of the largest groups of aquarium fish and also one of the most diverse in terms of appearance and lifestyle. There are more than 2,000 species in approximately 30 families. Some of these fish are sedentary and suitable for a community tank, while others are active predators that grow to a large size.
Doradids are usually called talking catfishes due to the noise they can make, but they are not the only catfishes to employ noise as a form of communication. Doradids achieve this in two main ways. One method is to stridulate the pectoral fin joint by partially locking it while moving the fin spine. This movement need not be great to make a lot of noise.