TankBud

Bullwhip pimelodus

Platysilurus mucosus

Also known as Bullwhip catfish

FreshwaterFish

Bullwhip pimelodus (Platysilurus mucosus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
9.8 in
25 cm
Minimum tank
106 gal
400 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Pimelodidae
Origin
Orinoco and Amazon lowlands

Overview

The bullwhip pimelodus is a nocturnal, predatory catfish with very long, trailing whiskers. It needs a keeper with some experience and a large, dim tank.

Did you know

The bullwhip pimelodus senses mostly through its whiskers. Streaming well behind the body in the current, they find food in the dark before the mouth ever reaches it.

Caring for the bullwhip pimelodus

Give the bullwhip pimelodus a dim tank of at least 106 gal (400 L) with a soft floor and open swimming lanes. A smooth sand bed will not scratch its skin or barbels. Add driftwood and shaded retreats, and keep the current gentle to moderate.

Keep the water warm and soft to neutral, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Subdued lighting brings it out and suits its night-hunting habits. By day it hides, then comes out after dark to cruise the bottom. Feed meaty sinking foods in the evening, such as earthworm, prawn, mussel and sinking pellets.

It lives alone and is not a group fish, so keep just one. It is peaceful toward fish it cannot eat but will swallow anything small. Choose robust, medium to large community fish as tank mates, never small tetras or shrimp.

Handle it gently, since its pectoral spines are needle-sharp. There is no captive breeding record for the species.

Good to know

Platysilurus mucosus is a pimelodid catfish, built long and flattened. Its very long maxillary barbels trail back past the base of the tail. Juveniles also carry an oversized caudal fin that becomes more modest with age. The pectoral spines may be mildly venomous.

In the wild

The bullwhip pimelodus works sandy river floors across the Orinoco and Amazon lowlands. It hunts by touch and smell in dim, moving water.

Common questions

What size tank does a bullwhip pimelodus need?

A bullwhip pimelodus needs at least 106 gal (400 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a bullwhip pimelodus need?

A bullwhip pimelodus is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a bullwhip pimelodus eat?

A bullwhip pimelodus eats meaty sinking foods such as earthworm, prawn, mussel and sinking pellets, offered in the evening. It will also swallow anything small, such as small tetras or shrimp.

How big does a bullwhip pimelodus get?

An adult bullwhip pimelodus reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).

Related species