Pictus Catfish (Pimelodus pictus) Care Guide
A beautiful, active catfish with a sleek silver body covered in black spots and long, sweeping barbels. An active swimmer, especially at night and during feeding.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pimelodus pictus is a species in the family Pimelodidae. A beautiful, active catfish with a sleek silver body covered in black spots and long, sweeping barbels. An active swimmer, especially at night and during feeding. Has venomous pectoral fin spines and will eat any fish small enough to fit in its mouth.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pimelodidae
- Genus: Pimelodus
- Scientific name: Pimelodus pictus
- Other names: Pimelodus pictus
- Origin: South America, Amazon Basin, Colombia
Habitat
Pimelodus pictus is a silver, black-spotted catfish from the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, including Colombia. An active, fast-swimming predator of open water and stream beds, it hunts small invertebrates and fish and uses long barbels to locate food.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 150 L
- Temperature: 22-28 °C
- pH: 6-7.5
- GH: 3-15 °dGH
- Water flow: moderate
- Adult size: 10-12 cm
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
- Recommended group size: ≥ 3
- Difficulty: intermediate
Diet
Classified as omnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 1x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.
Compatibility
- Temperament: peaceful
- Position in tank: bottom
- Compatible tank mates: Angelfish, Corydoras, Bristlenose Pleco, Large Tetras
- Avoid with: Neon Tetra, Small Fish, Shrimp
Breeding
- Breeding strategy: egg-scatterer
- Breeding difficulty: advanced
Pictus Catfish Breeding Guide (Pimelodus pictus)
Overview
The Pictus Catfish, Pimelodus pictus, is an active, silver, black-spotted catfish from the Amazon and Orinoco basins, reaching about 11 cm total length. It is a fast, nocturnal swimmer with sharp spines on its dorsal and pectoral fins that carry a mildly venomous sting and can pierce bags and snag nets.
Sexing
There is no confirmed way to sex the species. Adult females are likely to be stockier in build than males, but this remains tentative and unconfirmed.
Conditioning
With no documented spawning protocol, the focus is general health rather than reproduction. The fish is an active shoaler kept in groups and is omnivorous, accepting bloodworm, prepared foods and other items, and will eat very small fish such as neon tetras.
Common Challenges
No breeding triggers, spawning behaviour or fry-rearing methods are documented for the species in captivity. The sharp, mildly venomous spines also make handling and any breeding manipulation hazardous, so home propagation is not a realistic goal.