Freshwater
Pictus cat
Pimelodus ornatus
Pimelodidae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 38.5 cm
- Body shape
- Streamlined
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 1,333 liters
- Diet
- Missing
Know what is missing? Suggest it in the app.
Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
Native
Lives wild in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, and 2 more countries.
Videos
The Fish of Rio das Mortes – Brazil’s Hidden Aquatic Treasure
CHRIS LUKHAUPAug 23, 2026
More about the species
Description
Occurs in principal river beds, in upstream parts of rivers, downstream rapids, in backwater zones or on stony bottoms of pools with dead tree trunks. Active at dusk. Piscivorous. Emits loud grumblings. Secretes toxic mucus and the wounds caused by its pectoral spines are very painful. The female can preserve spermatozoids by coating them with original maternal secretions and inserting them in the epithelium of its genital tract. The presence of sperm in the mucus of the female's genital tract is indicative of internal fertilization.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Megalonema rhabdostigma
In other languages
- Smykkemalle
- Koruantennimonni
Articles
All articles
Fish that get along4 min read
Temperament, fin nippers, fish that eat other fish, and fish that need the same water. And what the Harmony mark in the app means.
How to set up a South American aquarium4 min read
Soft, acidic water, subdued light, sand, roots and fallen leaves: how to set up a biotope aquarium from the Amazon and the rivers around it.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.