🐟 AquaticCare difficulty: IntermediateLegal complexity: Low
Pictus Catfish
Pimelodus pictus · also called Pictus Cat, Spotted Pictus, Pictus Pim, Angel Catfish
An active, fast-swimming South American catfish prized for its silvery, black-spotted body and dramatic whiskers. Peaceful with similar-sized tankmates but a relentless predator of small fish, and its sharp, locking pectoral spines demand careful, net-free handling.
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Quick facts
| Size | Sleek silver catfish with black spots reaching about 11-15 cm (4.5-6 in); very long, mobile barbels. |
| Lifespan | 8–10 years |
| Social needs | group |
| Native region | South America (Amazon and Orinoco river basins, Colombia and Peru) |
| Origin | New World |
| Climate | 🌴 Tropical |
| Water type | 💧 Freshwater |
| Family | Pimelodidae |
| Genus | Pimelodus |
Part of the Catfish
Catfish are a diverse order of mostly bottom-dwelling fish, including peaceful shoaling corydoras, armored loricariids, and scavengers prized for keeping the lower levels of an aquarium active and clean.
Habitat & space requirements
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Habitat & enclosure
A small shoal needs a long tank of at least 200 litres (55 US gal); these are powerful, athletic swimmers that cruise the open lower water column, so floor space and length matter more than height. Provide driftwood, smooth caves, and plenty of open swimming room, with subdued lighting and shaded retreats to suit their crepuscular, sensitive nature.
They are tropical: keep water at 23-26 C (73-79 F), pH 6.0-7.5, soft to moderately hard, with strong, well-oxygenated flow that mimics their river habitat. They are scaleless and sensitive to poor water quality and dissolved waste, so robust filtration and consistent water changes are essential.
Substrate
Use a fine sand or smooth, rounded gravel substrate to protect their delicate barbels, which can be worn down or infected by sharp grit. Combine with driftwood and smooth rockwork for cover.
Equipment & setup
Provide strong filtration (canister or oversized hang-on-back) for high oxygenation and waste export, plus a heater for stable tropical temperatures. A powerhead or filter return to create current suits their riverine origin, and a secure lid is important as they can jump.
Diet
Opportunistic omnivores leaning carnivorous: offer sinking pellets, frozen and live bloodworms, brine shrimp, blackworms, and the occasional bit of prawn or fish. They forage along the bottom at dusk and night, hunting by scent and touch with their long barbels.
Feed a varied, protein-rich diet and avoid overfeeding, as they are greedy and will gorge. Sinking foods reach them best; supplement with quality flake or wafer. Their hearty appetite means they readily eat any tankmate small enough to swallow, so plan the menu and the community accordingly.
Behavior & temperament
Peaceful and social toward fish too large to eat, but a confirmed predator of small species like neon tetras, which will be hunted at night. Keep them in groups of three or more, as lone fish can be skittish; they shoal loosely and are most settled with company. Suitable tankmates include larger barbs, bigger tetras, gouramis, and robust catfish.
They are nocturnal and become active and inquisitive after lights-out, racing around the tank. Their sharp, serrated, locking pectoral and dorsal spines snag easily in nets and can injure handlers, so move them in a container of water rather than a net.
Health
As a scaleless catfish they are highly sensitive to ich (white spot) and to copper- and formalin-based medications, which must be dosed at reduced strength. They are also intolerant of ammonia, nitrite, and high nitrates, so stable, mature water is critical.
Watch for barbel erosion from sharp substrate or poor water quality, and for stress-related skin infections. Quarantine new arrivals, keep nitrates low, and treat parasites early but cautiously. A varied diet and clean, oxygen-rich water prevent most issues.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Never net a pictus catfish; their spines lock and tangle, so guide them into a cup or container. Acclimate slowly and add them only to a fully cycled, mature tank, and choose tankmates that are too large to become a midnight snack.
Sources
- Pimelodus pictus - Wikipedia (wiki)
- Pictus Catfish Care Guide - Aquarium Co-Op (care guide)
- Wikipedia: Pictus Catfish (wiki)