Tiger shovelnose catfish are one of the most important food fish in the Amazon. Most of the Native people greatly rely on these fish for food. They grow big and are meaty, as well as plentiful and supposedly good tasting. They love to stuff themselves with food, and don’t hessitate to eat most any fish small enough that passes by them. They rely on their long anntenae or “whiskers” to locate food and find shelter. Juveniles like to hide around in caves, however adults cruise around looking for prey.

     In the aquarium these fish make interesting, but often frusterating pets. They are powerful predators, and should be treated as so. They should be kept in large aquariums, and usually to create a large enough aquarium to keep this fish, you may need to make it. If the aquarium is so small that it cannot move it’s whiskers around freely, it has been known to easily smash through glass 3/8’’ thick when fully grown. Give these fish lots of room, and maybe a hiding spot or two. Adults are generally not as secretive as juveniles and may not use a hiding spot, after all, who going  to bother a four foot fifty five pound fish? Take care not to put small rocks or gravel in your aquarium as these fish may smaller them while eating and may have difficulty getting them out of themselves.

Text Copyright 2008 Artemis Regelio