Phractocephalus Hemioliopterus
Written by Administrator on 3rd November 2010 and viewed 261 times
Profile - Freshwater Fish - SA Catfish
| Latin | Phractocephalus Hemioliopterus |
| Common | Red-Tail Catfish |
| Group | Freshwater Fish |
| Type | SA Catfish |
| Family | Pimelodidae |
| Origin | This fish can be found in Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Guyana |
| Adult Size | Up to 48 inches |
| Lifespan | 15+ years |
| Social | Aggressive |
| Tank level | This fish is not suitable for the home aquarium |
| dGH | 2-12 |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| Temperature | 21-27 °C (70-81 °F) |
| Difficulty | Difficult |
| Sexing | There are no visible differences between the sexes |
| Breeding | There are no detailed reports about the breeding habits of this fish. |
| Feeding | A carnivorous catfish but they will accept dead foods. Offer a varied diet of prawns, chopped earthworms, mussels or lancefish. As they mature they will ony require feeding once a week, ill need feeding every other day. |
| Care | Keep the water well oxygenated with a strong flow. The lighting should be subdued or none at all. They are high waste producers so either use a large external filter or a sump on the tank. Decor should be minimal as they will arrange it to suit themselves, weighty rocks seems to be their preference with a sandy substrate. |
| Notes | Note the large adult size for these fish, do not attempt to keep these as they are too large for any home aquarium. They are often sold as juveniles and once they grow re-homing this fish becomes a major problem. |
