Jau catfish
Zungaro zungaro
Also known as Gilded catfish, Jau
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–82°F
- 22–28°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 55.1 in
- 140 cm
- Minimum tank
- 793 gal
- 3,000 L
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Pimelodidae
- Origin
- Native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins of South America.
Overview
The Jau catfish is a heavyweight monster catfish with a hefty bulk, suited only to a pond or an enormous tank. Keeping one is a long-term commitment for experienced keepers.
Did you know
The Jau catfish's golden sheen gives it the name gilded catfish. In parts of the Amazon it is a celebrated table fish. A full-grown fish can weigh 50 kg or more, as much as a grown adult.
Caring for the Jau catfish
Give a Jau catfish an enormous tank of at least 793 gal (3,000 L), or a pond, with powerful filtration. Provide a soft floor, open space and solid, shaded cover. Keep the water clean and warm, at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.
It spends the day resting and becomes active and hungry after dark. Feed meaty foods such as whole fish, prawns and large sinking items.
The Jau catfish is predatory and often aggressive. It will eat tank mates it can swallow and can injure ones it cannot, so it is generally kept alone.
Good to know
Zungaro zungaro is one of the bulkier Amazonian catfish, a heavy-bodied ambush and pursuit predator that swallows large prey whole. It has a broad flat head, a huge mouth and a smooth olive to golden body. It is an important sport fish across its range and is sometimes listed under the name Zungaro jahu.
In the wild
The Jau catfish is native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins of South America. It is a massive, thick-bodied pimelodid of the deep river channels there, where it hunts fish.
Common questions
What size tank does a Jau catfish need?
A Jau catfish needs at least 793 gal (3,000 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Jau catfish need?
A Jau catfish is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
What does a Jau catfish eat?
A Jau catfish eats meaty foods, such as whole fish, prawns and large sinking items. It is most active and hungry after dark.
How big does a Jau catfish get?
An adult Jau catfish reaches about 55.1 in (140 cm).
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