TankBud

Vulture catfish

Calophysus macropterus

Also known as zamurito

FreshwaterFish

Vulture catfish (Calophysus macropterus)
(c) Matthew Inabinett, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
15.7 in
40 cm
Minimum tank
120 gal
455 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Pimelodidae
Origin
Venezuela, Colombia

Overview

The vulture catfish is an aggressive, opportunistic scavenger that nips fins and will eat small or slow tankmates, so it belongs only with fast, robust fish too large to be bothered. It can be kept singly or, in a big tank, in a group, since it naturally scavenges in loose shoals in the wild. Give it open swimming room, strong flow, and solid caves, and expect an active, greedy fish. It eagerly takes meaty foods such as sinking pellets, prawn, mussel, and chunks of fish, so live feeders are not needed. Provide a large tank of around 455 liters or larger, and a bigger one still for a group of adults.

In the wild

The vulture catfish lives in the large rivers of the Amazon and Orinoco basins in Venezuela, Colombia, and beyond, roaming open channels in search of food. It prefers warm, soft water, so aim for around 24 to 29 C with a pH between 6 and 7.5 and strong, well-oxygenated flow. A roomy tank with a sand bed, sturdy wood, and open swimming space matches its restless, scavenging habits. It is not fussy about decor, but robust equipment and secure filtration suit this powerful, active fish.

Good to know

The vulture catfish is a long-whiskered catfish of the family Pimelodidae, reaching around 40 cm and occasionally larger. Silvery grey with a spotted back and broad fins, it is built as a scavenger, gathering in numbers to strip flesh from dead animals in the wild, which earns it names like water buzzard and piracatinga. In its home rivers it is caught commercially, sometimes using carcasses as bait. Its breeding is unrecorded in home aquariums.

Did you know

The vulture catfish is named for its scavenging habits. In the wild, groups gather at a carcass and can strip it to the bone with startling speed, and fishermen in the Amazon have long caught them using dead bait for exactly that reason.

Common questions

What size tank does a Vulture catfish need?

A Vulture catfish needs at least 120 gal (455 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Vulture catfish need?

A Vulture catfish is comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

How big does a Vulture catfish get?

An adult Vulture catfish reaches about 15.7 in (40 cm).

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