Redtail catfish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| ?Redtail catfish Conservation status: Data deficient |
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| Phractocephalus hemioliopterus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) |
The redtail catfish, Phractocephalus hemioliopterus, is a pimelodid (long-whiskered) catfish native to the Amazon, Araguaia[citation needed] and Orinoco river basins of South America. It is found only in fresh water.
[edit] Description
The redtail catfish has a broad head with a wide mouth. Its body is primarily dark gray with small darker gray spots. The ventral surface is paler. A lateral white band starts at the caudal peduncle and runs anteriorly, tapering to end anywhere from midway along the body to just behind the operculum. The caudal fin is red or orange, giving the fish its common name.
Although juveniles are sometimes available as aquarium fish, upon maturity they can reach a length of 1.3 m (4 ft) total length, and are therefore unsuitable to all but the largest of aquariums (2000 Gallon Aquariums are a good example). They have been known to reach over 44 kg (97 lb).
[edit] References
- "Phractocephalus hemioliopterus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. 3 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
