All fish / Pimelodidae

Ornate Pimelodus

Pimelodus ornatus

Also known as ornate pim, ornate pimelodus catfish, ornatus pim, ornate catfish, pimelodus ornatus catfish, ピメロドゥス・オルナトゥス, 华丽油鲶, 四线油鲶

This long-whiskered catfish has a pale grey to silvery body with a broad dark band along each flank and a tall dorsal fin edged in black and white. It is kept for its striking looks and its active, roaming habits, as it swims in the open far more than many catfish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

28 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

500 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a small group in a very large tank

Diet

Carnivore: sinking pellets, prawns, mussel, fish fillet, earthworms and frozen bloodworm

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná and Guiana Shield river basins, South America

Breeding

It is thought to scatter eggs during the rainy season in the wild, without parental care. It has not been bred in home aquariums, and fish in the trade are caught in the wild.

Good to know

It grows to about 30 cm and will eat any fish small enough to swallow, so keep it only with robust tankmates of similar size. The fin spines are sharp and can cause painful wounds, so handle it with care and avoid catching it in nets.