Identity and search names
- Common name
- Pictus catfish
- Scientific name
- Pimelodus pictus
- Other names
- Pictus catfish, Pictus cat, Pimelodus pictus
- Category
- Freshwater fish
- Group
- Other catfish
- Origin
- Amazon and Orinoco river systems of northern South America
- Review outcome
- PASSED
Environment and housing
- Environment
- Freshwater
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- Usually 11–12 cm total length
- Expected lifespan
- About 8–10 years
- Minimum housing
- At least 300 L for one; 500 L-plus with a long footprint for a group
- Temperature
- 23–27 °C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Hardness or minerals
- Soft to moderately hard
- Salinity
- Freshwater
- Lighting
- Subdued with dim refuges
- Social structure
- Single or a group of three or more only when the aquarium has enough floor space, current and feeding access
- Placement or swimming zone
- Bottom and middle water, especially after dark
- Temperament
- Fast, active and generally peaceful, but predatory toward fish small enough to swallow
- Compatibility
- Use medium-sized peaceful fish too large to swallow; avoid ornamental shrimp, tiny tetras and aggressive bottom fish
- Habitat structure
- Long aquarium with strong filtration, moderate current, open swimming lanes, smooth caves and protected barbels
Feeding and nutrition
- Diet
- Sinking carnivore pellets, worms, crustaceans, insect larvae and varied frozen foods
- Feeding frequency
- Feed after lights dim if necessary and confirm every individual eats without becoming obese
Breeding and reproduction
- Breeding or reproduction
- Routine home-aquarium breeding has not been established. Do not fabricate a spawning method from unrelated pimelodid catfish.
- Parental care
- No verified aquarium parental care
System demands
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the full adult group and feeding load, with intake protection where juveniles, long fins or small fish are present. Provide steady turnover without preventing normal swimming or resting.
- Aeration
- Maintain strong surface gas exchange and stable dissolved oxygen. Increase aeration during warm weather, medication, transport recovery, breeding crowding or any ammonia or nitrite event.
- Maintenance
- Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, remove waste from feeding and shelter zones, and perform regular temperature- and chemistry-matched water changes before nitrate or dissolved organics accumulate.
Detailed husbandry
- Identity scope
- This profile applies to Pimelodus pictus. Similar spotted pimelodids must not be sold or documented under this name without identification.
- Adult size and space
- Usually 11–12 cm total length. At least 300 L for one; 500 L-plus with a long footprint for a group. Plan around adult dimensions, activity, social structure, aggression and waste production rather than sale size.
- Social structure
- Single or a group of three or more only when the aquarium has enough floor space, current and feeding access
- Placement or swimming zone
- Primary zone: Bottom and middle water, especially after dark. Keep that zone usable for movement, feeding and refuge.
- Feeding ecology
- Sinking carnivore pellets, worms, crustaceans, insect larvae and varied frozen foods
- Feeding plan
- Feed after lights dim if necessary and confirm every individual eats without becoming obese
- Water stability
- Maintain 23–27 °C; pH 6.0–7.5; hardness/minerals: Soft to moderately hard. Stable oxygenation and nitrogen-cycle control matter more than chasing one exact number.
- Adult projected load
- Plan capacity for Single or a group of three or more only when the aquarium has enough floor space, current and feeding access at the documented adult size (Usually 11–12 cm total length) in At least 300 L for one; 500 L-plus with a long footprint for a group. Include feeding intensity, territorial behaviour and breeding growth rather than counting sale-size juveniles.
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the full adult group and feeding load, with intake protection where juveniles, long fins or small fish are present. Provide steady turnover without preventing normal swimming or resting.
- Aeration
- Maintain strong surface gas exchange and stable dissolved oxygen. Increase aeration during warm weather, medication, transport recovery, breeding crowding or any ammonia or nitrite event.
- Maintenance
- Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, remove waste from feeding and shelter zones, and perform regular temperature- and chemistry-matched water changes before nitrate or dissolved organics accumulate.
- Habitat structure
- Long aquarium with strong filtration, moderate current, open swimming lanes, smooth caves and protected barbels
- Compatibility plan
- Use medium-sized peaceful fish too large to swallow; avoid ornamental shrimp, tiny tetras and aggressive bottom fish
- Breeding plan
- Routine home-aquarium breeding has not been established. Do not fabricate a spawning method from unrelated pimelodid catfish. Parental care: No verified aquarium parental care.
- Quarantine
- Quarantine new fish in a separate cycled aquarium with dedicated equipment. Match temperature and mineral chemistry gradually, confirm feeding and normal respiration, and never add transport water to the established aquarium.
- Welfare checks
- Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. Fast movement, a surprisingly large mouth and delicate barbels make small tankmates and coarse nets unsafe.
- Biosecurity and release
- Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.
- Main risk
- Fast movement, a surprisingly large mouth and delicate barbels make small tankmates and coarse nets unsafe.
- Overridable warnings
- Fast movement, a surprisingly large mouth and delicate barbels make small tankmates and coarse nets unsafe. Any override must still preserve adult space, social welfare, stable chemistry, oxygen and filter capacity.
Welfare and risk
- Welfare checks
- Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. Fast movement, a surprisingly large mouth and delicate barbels make small tankmates and coarse nets unsafe.
- Main warning
- Fast movement, a surprisingly large mouth and delicate barbels make small tankmates and coarse nets unsafe.
- Biosecurity
- Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.
Sources
Source note
Current identity or scope, husbandry, system-demand, welfare and Australian biosecurity evidence checked; active retired-source links removed; all AquaNexus wording is original.
- Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes — Pimelodus pictus — Current accepted-name, synonym, family and habitat check
- Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes — Pimelodus pictus — Accepted-name, synonym and taxonomic-placement cross-check
- USGS NAS — Pimelodus pictus — Identity, South American range and aquarium-release pathway cross-check
- IUCN Red List search — Pimelodus pictus — Conservation-status and wild-provenance cross-check
- PIRSA — South Australian noxious fish list — Current South Australian possession and trade restriction cross-check
- DAFF — importing live ornamental fish to Australia — Current Australian live-fish import pathway and permitted-species warning