Photo © Sean Evans
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| Common name: | Pictus catfish, Angel pim, Spotted pim |
| Scientific name: | Pimelodus pictus |
| Synonyms: | Pimellodella pictus, Pimelodella angelicus (not valid) |
| Size: | 5" (12.5cm) |
| Origin: | South America: Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela. |
| Tank setup: | Plenty of open swimming space and caves or plants for refuges. Soft sand or smooth gravel substrate. |
| Compatibility: | Predatory and will eat small fish such as Neon tetras, not aggressive towards larger fish. |
| Temperature: | 22-25oC (72-77oF) |
| Water chemistry: | Fairly soft, slightly acidic (pH 6-6.9) ideally. |
| Feeding: | Carnivore/Insectivore, but will take various flake, pellet and frozen/live foods. |
| Sexing: | Unknown, but females may be larger and thicker in shape. |
| Breeding: | Unknown - no accounts of aquarium breeding. |
| Comments: |
One of the most popular aquarium catfish, it has a striking spotted pattern and long flowing
barbels. They are not generally aggressive, but avoid keeping with fish small enough to fit in
in their mouths (such as tetras) - as these may disappear overnight! Often feed in a somewhat
frenzied manner, which may alarm calmer fish. They are more active by day when kept as a small
group. Do not use nets to catch these fish, as they have sharp spines which will become entangled
- coax them into a solid plastic container or similar.
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