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Calophysus macropterus (Lichtenstein, 1819)

Image contributors to this species:

Robin Warne (1) Frants Lehmann (1 Stamp) Wolfgang Ros (6) Enrico Richter (1) David Marshall (2)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Is reported to commonly attack the fishes caught in fishermen's nets and seines as well as those hooked on trotlines or gaffed. Aquarium Care: An out and out predator so should only be kept with larger species such as South American cichlids, Oscars etc. and the larger L-number armoured Loricariids. 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 (min 6ft x 3ft x 2ft) to cruise around in. Diet: Shrimps, fish fillets and live foods such as Earthworms. Will gladly take tablet, pellet foods and foodsticks. Etymology: The specific name macropterus: Large wing, (referring to the fins).

Common Name:

Vulture Catfish

Synonyms:

Pimelodes macropterus, Pimelodus ctenodus, Pimeletropsis lateralis.

Family:

Pimelodidae

Distribution:

South America: Amazon and Orinoco River basins.

Size:

50.0cm. (20ins)

Temp:

22-26°C (71-79°F)

p.H.

6.5-7.2.

IUCN Red List

Despite the little information available on this species, it has a wide range and no apparent threats. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern (IUCN 2023).

Reference:

Grant, Steven. Pims. Pimelodidae, Heptapteridae and Pseudopimelodidae Catfishes. ATS-Aquashop.de 2021 219p.
Ros, Wolfgang and Schmidt, Jakob (2008): Calophysus macropterus: Ein "Hai" im Süßwasseraquarium: D. Aqu. u. Terr. Z. (Datz) 61 (4): 16-18. Pimelodidae). Neotrop. ichthyol. vol.6 no.3 Porto Alegre 2008.
Salvador, G.N. 2023. Calophysus macropterus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023.
ScotCat Factsheet no. 145. July 2008.
www.datz.de

Family: Pimelodidae Back to Ident-A-Cat Click on Thumbnails

Calophysus macropterus

Calophysus macropterus
Stamp

Calophysus macropterus

Calophysus macropterus
Showing the business end!

Calophysus macropterus

Calophysus macropterus
Image taken at the Oceanarium, Bournemouth, England U.K.

Calophysus macropterus
Head view-image taken at the Oceanarium, Bournemouth, England U.K.

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