The first image is of a specimen
that was caught on rod and line in a lake in California,
USA by the image contributor, which points to
a contaminant that had been released from a home aquarium.
The last image is of a specimen that has been introduced
to fishing lakes in Thailand, Asia. This may prove
to be a hybrid crossed with another large South American
pim. The common name of Firewood Catfish stems from
the fact that when it is caught it has no food value
and so it is dried for firewood instead. Mainly nocturnal
and feeds primarily on nekton (actively swimming aquatic
organisms in a body of water). Aquarium Care:
Will do well as a juvenile in captivity but would
need a large tank to accommodate this catfish when
nearing adulthood. Can be spooked easily and can jump
out of the tank if a strong weighted lid is not fitted.
Would need hiding places in the aquarium to make it
feel secure in its surroundings. If housed with other
fish they would need to be chosen carefully due to
the predatory instincts of this catfish. Really a
catfish for the dedicated catfish enthusiast. Diet:
Large frozen and live foods leaning towards the meaty
side.
South America:
Amazon and Orinoco River basins. Type locality:
Brazil: in fluminae Amazonum, Solimoëns, Rio
Negro.
Size:
150cm. (5ft)
Temp:
21-25°C (69-77°F)
p.H.
6.0-7.2.
Reference:
Burgess, W.E.
1989 An atlas of freshwater and marine catfishes.
A preliminary survey of the Siluriformes. T.F.H. Publications,
Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey (USA). 784 p. Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist
of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes),
and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa
1418:1-628.
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