The Pimelodidae family in my opinion always seem to have the species that somehow look what catfish should look like , if you get my drift, and the "Vulture Catfish" is no exception with its sleek look and long barbels and of course its large mouth.

 

Wolfgang in his article likened Calophysus macropterus to any shark species in the way it moves in the water and its eating habits. The common name of the "Vulture Catfish" complies with the bird species also, in that it will scavenge everything and anything, is very voracious, and has been known to attack the lines and nets of local Fishermen to get at there catches. It also has the repugnant reputation of eating human faeces alongside villages in the rivers where there is a human population.

 

I must admit that in the "Large Catfish" world this is probably one of the nicest looking and comparatively easy to keep species if you are a big cat enthusiast, and if you are able to give it a large tank to cruise around in.

 

Wolfgang states that they can be kept with congeners, better with two or three and introduced together in the Aquarium as youngsters. This would precipitate having a larger tank of over 6ft (180cm) in length 2' 6" (75cm) depth and a width of 3' 0" (90cm) so you see this is a fish for the serious catfish keeper.

 

This species is monotypic (only species in the genus) and as such the fins are different and there are differences in the teeth structure and a reduction in the swim bladder to other members of the Pimelodidae family. There has been calls to place this catfish in its own family but at the moment it is classed in the Pimelodidae.