Tiger Shovelnose Catfish
Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum
Pimelodidae
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About
The tiger shovelnose is a long-whiskered Amazonian predator with a flattened, spade-shaped head and black bars over silver. Juveniles are sold without a word of husbandry guidance, which is exactly the problem: FishBase records 105 cm SL and Seriously Fish 104 cm, and Lithuania's own zoo, which keeps the species, states 104 cm and up to 70 kg. It hunts at dusk and through the night, swallowing loricariids, cichlids and characins whole, and it is fast enough to take a tankmate its owner believed was too big. Since the 2007 revision of the genus most Amazon-basin fish traded under this name are in fact Pseudoplatystoma punctifer — a distinction that changes the label and nothing about the size of the animal.
Care
Seriously Fish sizes an adult's tank at 360 x 240 x 120 cm (10,368 litres) and questions whether the species belongs in the hobby at all; our gate of 8,000 litres over a 350 cm footprint is already the generous reading of that. Keep one — adults are territorial towards conspecifics and other large pimelodids. Soft sand, nothing swallowable, no sharp rockwork for a nocturnal fish that bolts when startled, powerful filtration, high oxygen and a heavy lid. Tankmates must be too large to swallow and calm enough not to be chased.
Diet
Piscivore that accepts prepared foods. Prawn, mussel, lancefish, earthworm and white fish fillet; no feeder fish, no mammalian meat, and fewer meals than it will beg for.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (43)
Avoid (375)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Adult sizeA hint only · only across animals of the same age
In many cichlids, catfish and loaches one sex simply grows larger — usually the male, though there are well-known reversals.
Also in these lists
Similar species
Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.
Sold in Lithuania
These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Tiger Shovelnose Catfish need?
- A Tiger Shovelnose Catfish needs an aquarium of at least 8000 litres (2113.4 US gallons) with a footprint at least 350 cm (137.8 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Tiger Shovelnose Catfish need?
- Tiger Shovelnose Catfish does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 6–8 and a general hardness of 2–25 °dGH.
- Is the Tiger Shovelnose Catfish suitable for beginners?
- Tiger Shovelnose Catfish is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.