From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Pictus Catfish
Pimelodus pictus
- Temperature
- 22–25 °C
- pH
- 5.8 – 6.8
- Min. tank size
- 243 L
- Lifespan
- 8-10 years
- Diet
- carnivore
- Care level
- moderate
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Pimelodus pictus |
| Family: | Pimelodidae |
| Origin: | South America (Amazon and Orinoco basins) |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | moderate |
| Diet: | carnivore |
| Max Size: | 12.00 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | tropical |
| Temperament: | peaceful |
| Min Group: | 6+ together |
| Varieties: | No cultivated strains — this is a wild-type fish and the spotted silver pattern is not something breeding has altered. Individual variation in the size and density of the spotting is considerable, and fish from different collection points look noticeably different, but nothing is established as a named form. Most trade fish are wild-caught or farm-produced. Several related catfish are sold alongside it and are separate species with different adult sizes, which matters because some grow much larger. Pimelodus blochii and P. ornatus both appear in the trade, and various other pimelodids are sold generically as "pictus" or "angelicus" catfish. The one to be careful about is the true angelicus catfish, Synodontis angelicus, which is an African mochokid rather than a South American pimelodid — a different fish entirely that shares a trade name. Larger pimelodids such as the redtail catfish and the tiger shovelnose reach a metre or more and are sold as small spotted juveniles that look superficially similar. If a shop cannot name the species, establish it before buying. |
| Lifespan: | 8-10 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Medium to high
- Min Tank:243 L
- Substrate:Soft sand (protects barbels); open swimming space with some cover
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe
- Filtration:High (active fish; clean, oxygenated water)
Pictus Catfish (Pimelodus pictus) is a species of fish in the family Pimelodidae. It is native to South America (Amazon and Orinoco basins). The pictus catfish is a fast, silver, spotted catfish with barbels longer than its body, and it is one of the most consistently mis-sold fish in the trade. It comes from the Amazon and Orinoco basins and reaches 120 mm standard length. It is peaceful in temperament and predatory in practice — a shoaling species that hunts, and one that is routinely sold into community tanks full of neons and guppies. It is also a genuinely social fish, which surprises people. Kept alone it is nocturnal and rarely seen; kept in a group of six or more it is far more outgoing and active, hunting across the tank in daylight. Two things to know before handling one. The pectoral and dorsal spines are rigid and tangle in nets almost immediately, and there is a toxin in the mucus coating those spines that delivers a painful sting. Use a container, never a net.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- peaceful
- Keep in
- Groups of 6+
- Swims
- bottom
- Fin nipper
- No
- Delicate fins
- No
Species similar to Pictus Catfish
Matched on family, then category, then water type