All fish / Pimelodidae

Zebra Shovelnose Catfish

Brachyplatystoma tigrinum

Also known as tiger shovelnose catfish, zebra catfish, tigrinus catfish, tigrinum catfish, tigrinus, zebra shovelnose, merodontotus tigrinus, タイガーショベルノーズ, ティグリナス, 虎皮鸭嘴, 斑马鸭嘴

A striking pimelodid catfish with a long flattened snout, very long barbels and bold dark zigzag bands over a pale tan body. It is prized by catfish enthusiasts for its rarity and pattern, and lives naturally in fast-flowing, deep river channels near rapids.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

50 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

2000 litres

Keep as

Singly, or with other large robust fish

Diet

Carnivore: fish, prawns, mussels, earthworms and sinking carnivore pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Amazon and Orinoco basins: Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela

Breeding

Not known to have been bred in captivity. In the wild it is thought to spawn in the main river channels during seasonal floods.

Good to know

Grows to around 50 to 60 cm and will eat any fish it can swallow, so it needs a very large, well-oxygenated tank with strong flow. Often confused with the cheaper tiger shovelnose (Pseudoplatystoma), which has a different pattern and grows larger.