Tiger Shovelnose (Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum) Care Guide
Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum is a large migratory predatory catfish of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, reaching about 130 cm.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum, the tiger sorubim or tiger shovelnose, is a long-whiskered catfish of the family Pimelodidae, described by Valenciennes in 1840. According to FishBase it reaches about 130 cm in length and matures around 99 cm, suiting only public-aquarium-scale systems.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pimelodidae
- Genus: Pseudoplatystoma
- Scientific name: Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the Amazon and Orinoco River basins. It is a freshwater (also brackish) demersal fish occupying main river channels and flooded forests from estuaries to headwaters, with juveniles favouring flooded forest. It is migratory, moving with prey populations seasonally. FishBase cites a pH of 6.2-7.2 and temperatures of 22-26 °C.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 2000 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 2-15 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-15 years
Diet
FishBase describes it as an opportunistic piscivore (trophic level about 4.5) feeding on fish, crabs and shrimps. It is a nocturnal predator.
Compatibility
A semi-aggressive, nocturnal, bottom-dwelling predator. Given its adult size it should only be housed with similarly large fish; the KB record warns against keeping it with small fish that would be eaten.
Conservation status
FishBase lists the species as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessed 2020). Wikipedia notes it is commercially significant in gill-net fisheries and that juveniles are popular in the aquarium trade as tiger shovelnose.
Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum Breeding Guide
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.