Common name: Tiger shovelnose catfish
Scientific name: Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum
Family: Pimelodidae
Origin: Amazon, common in the fast flowing rapids.
Maximum size: Usually about 3' in captivity, larger in the wild.
Care: Provide this fish with a large 10'x4'x3' tank and a large filter such as a sump tank. As far as water quality goes, they will be fine with a neutral pH and a temperature of 25-28C, they need pleanty of surface water movement and pleanty of oxygen in the water. These fish can be housed with peacefull fish such as other large cats, arowanas, as some characins. just make sure that they or of an equal size as these fish have largemouths and have no trouble eating fish half there own size.
Feeding: They have simular feeding habits to the redtailed catfish - while they're small 2"-6" they are fine on bloodworm, chopped cockle and small pieces of lance fish/smelt daily every or every other day, once they get to 8"-12" they should take whole lance fish/smelt twice a week. Once they hit 12" bits of trout are best and fed once a week.
Breeding: These fish are not bred in captivity.
Comments: In the wild, these are the native equivelent to cod and chips. local fishermen catch hundreds of these a week and they are very common on fishmarkets in the amazon and peru. this is another fish that is better left to public aquaria unless you can provide huge tanks and filters.
Scientific name: Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum
Family: Pimelodidae
Origin: Amazon, common in the fast flowing rapids.
Maximum size: Usually about 3' in captivity, larger in the wild.
Care: Provide this fish with a large 10'x4'x3' tank and a large filter such as a sump tank. As far as water quality goes, they will be fine with a neutral pH and a temperature of 25-28C, they need pleanty of surface water movement and pleanty of oxygen in the water. These fish can be housed with peacefull fish such as other large cats, arowanas, as some characins. just make sure that they or of an equal size as these fish have largemouths and have no trouble eating fish half there own size.
Feeding: They have simular feeding habits to the redtailed catfish - while they're small 2"-6" they are fine on bloodworm, chopped cockle and small pieces of lance fish/smelt daily every or every other day, once they get to 8"-12" they should take whole lance fish/smelt twice a week. Once they hit 12" bits of trout are best and fed once a week.
Breeding: These fish are not bred in captivity.
Comments: In the wild, these are the native equivelent to cod and chips. local fishermen catch hundreds of these a week and they are very common on fishmarkets in the amazon and peru. this is another fish that is better left to public aquaria unless you can provide huge tanks and filters.
