Catfish of the Month Right March 1998

Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum
Tiger Shovelnose Catfish, Tsn (Abbreviation) - Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum   (Valenciennes, 1840)

Article © Julian Dignall, uploaded March 01, 1998.

The photo is an 18" specimen. I was a great fan of keeping these large catfish especially when I worked in my LFS and could "grow them on" for a few months and then hand them back. That changed somewher when I visited the Tennessee Aquarium in Chatanooga, USA. They had an enormous Amazon species tank which is remains in operation to at least 2019. The tank was inhabited by, amongst others, a huge tiger shovelnose, an adult red-tailed catfish, shoals of oscars (which were the smallest fish in the tank!), eye spot cichlids (Cichla ocellaris) and arowana. To see a full-grown Tiger shovelnose cruising effortlessly without having to turn round every three seconds made up my mind about keeping these and some other large catfish in anything smaller than a big pond. I remain a great fan.


Copyright information for the images used in this article can be found on the species' full Cat-eLog page.

Down Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum  (Valenciennes, 1840)
Common Names Tiger Shovelnose Catfish
Tsn (Abbreviation)
Type Locality Brazil.
Synonym(s) Platystoma punctatum, Platystoma tigrinum, Platystoma truncatum
Pronunciation SUE doh plah tee stow mah
Etymology (Greek)Pseudos=False +(Greek)platys=flat +(Greek)stoma=mouth. 
Articles
Down Species Information
Size 1300mm or 51.2" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification Vertical to slightly oblique black stripes; often has spots, which are thicker on the ventral side; great variation in stripe and spot patterns. Eigenmann recognized at least 14 varieties or subspecies based on colour patterns; easily confused with other members of the genus.
Sexing Unknown
Down Habitat Information
Distribution South America: Amazon and Orinoco River basins.
Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category
Least Concern
, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
pH 6.0 - 7.6
Temperature 22.0-26.0°C or 71.6-78.8°F (Show species within this range)
Down Husbandry Information
Feeding Fish, crustaceans and literally anything that it finds tasty and small enough to eat. I have personally witnessed one of the fish pictured above eat a large freshwater stingray head first! User data.
Furniture Large secured pieces of bogwood and rock.
Compatibility Will eat anything that isn't big enough to avoid being on the menu.
Breeding Unknown
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Down Further Information
Reference Histoire naturelle des poissons v. 15, pp 10, Pl. 422.
Registered Keepers There are 66 registered keepers, view all "my cats" data.
Wishlists Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list.
There is but a single wish to keep this species, see who wants what.
Spotters Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars!
There are 12 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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Last Update 2020 Sep 19 01:47 (species record created: 1998 Mar 01 11:22)

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