Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum Breeding Guide

The tiger shovelnose Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum is a giant migratory Amazon catfish reproduced only by hormone-induced aquaculture, not at home.

Overview

Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum, the tiger shovelnose or tiger sorubim, is a large long-whiskered catfish of the family Pimelodidae native to the Amazon Basin across Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru and Venezuela. It can grow to about 130 cm in total length and is listed by the IUCN as Least Concern.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

Pseudoplatystoma species are migratory fish whose spawning is tied to seasonal flooding and rainfall. P. tigrinum makes comparatively short reproductive migrations, with upriver movement for reproduction generally occurring around October to December. In captivity the maturational cycle is interrupted, so spawning does not proceed without intervention.

Commercial Reproduction

Reproduction of Pseudoplatystoma in culture relies on hormone induction (hypophysation), a technique originally developed for fish in the 1930s and still used. The genus is important to regional fisheries and aquaculture, but its size and migratory biology rule out home breeding.