Zorro Catfish

Care at a glance

Overview

The zorro catfish is a slender, predatory catfish with a long, upturned snout and whip-like barbels, best kept as a single specimen. It is peaceful toward tankmates too large to eat, but it is a fish-eater and will take smaller companions, so choose big, fast, calm species. It loves current, so give it a long tank with strong, well-oxygenated flow, open swimming space, and a few caves. In the wild it eats live fish, but most learn to accept strips of fish, prawn, and earthworms in time, so persistence beats live feeders. Aim for a large tank of around 455 liters or larger, and a roomier one for a full-grown adult.

In the wild

The zorro catfish comes from the Amazon basin, particularly Peru, where it lives in the current of large, fast-flowing rivers. It needs warm, soft, well-oxygenated water, so aim for around 24 to 28 C with a pH between 6 and 7.5 and strong flow from a powerful filter or powerhead. A spacious tank with a smooth sand bed, open channels for swimming, and a little sturdy wood suits its habits. It swims against the current by nature, so brisk water movement keeps it active and healthy.

Good to know

The zorro catfish, also sold as the sturgeon catfish, is a long-whiskered catfish of the family Pimelodidae and reaches around 40 cm. It is instantly known by its long, curved, upturned snout and its extremely long barbels, which trail well past the body and give it a swordsman-like profile. It uses the sensitive snout and barbels to find small prey along the bottom while facing into the current. Like other river pims, it is not known to breed in home aquariums.

Did you know

The zorro catfish is named for its dashing looks, with a long upturned snout like a sabre and barbels that trail far behind its body. It is also sold as the sturgeon catfish because that curved snout recalls a sturgeon, though the two are not related.

Related species

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  Duckbill Catfish

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  19.7 in (50 cm)190 gal (720 L)73–86°F (23–30°C)

• 

  Ornate Pimelodus

  Pimelodus ornatus

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• 

  Reticulated catfish

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• 

  Sailfin pim

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• 

  Vulture Catfish

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• 

  Bloch's catfish

  Pimelodus blochii

  9.8 in (25 cm)53 gal (200 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)