Home / Fishes / Catfish / Giant Talking Catfish
No federal permit to keepGiant Talking Catfish
Megalodoras uranoscopus
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Doradidae (Thorny catfish)
The giant talking catfish or giant raphael catfish (Megalodoras uranoscopus) is a species of thorny catfish that is native to the Amazon Basin in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 78 in long and 39 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 19.3 in / 49 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–77°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: FishBase classes it as a omnivore.
- Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 94 × 47 in (roughly 913 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: 70–77 °F, 1–20 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “The choice of décor is as much down to personal preference as anything else though a carefully-aquascaped, planted set-up is obviously out of the question.”
- Diet: “An omnivore feeding chiefly on aquatic gastropods and the fallen fruits of terrestrial plants in nature with its rumoured fondness for snails having led to it being referred to as the "mother of snails" catfish.”
- Tankmates: “Very peaceful and in suitably sized systems it can be combined with many other species.”
- Breeding: “Undergoes extensive seasonal migrations which appear to relate directly to the reproductive cycle, and has never been bred in captivity.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Thorny catfish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: South American doradids include nocturnal Raphael catfish sheltering among roots and vegetation in sluggish tributaries, creeks and swamps. [fg181-raph]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For Platydoras armatulus, provide at least 120 × 30 × 30 cm; this minimum does not house giant doradids.
- Use subdued lighting and numerous roomy wood, pot or pipe refuges.
- Deliver sinking food after lights-out to reach hidden fish.
- Oxydoras niger needs very large accommodation and adult-sized drainpipe or wood shelters.
- Guard heaters against resting fish, particularly large Oxydoras.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 75.2–86°F |
Diet
- Sinking catfish pellets or tablets.
- Frozen bloodworms.
- Earthworms.
- Chopped mussel for larger Oxydoras.
Social life
- Platydoras armatulus tolerates its own kind and may share shelters; Oxydoras is also generally peaceful. Choose companions too large to swallow.
Handling
- Avoid mesh entanglement when transferring spiny doradids; protect yourself from sharp pectoral spines and lateral scutes.
Health watch
- Heater-contact burns in large sheltering catfish.
- Ammonia-related gill injury in poorly maintained systems.
- Skin parasites and secondary bacterial infections; general aquarium-fish risks.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
This species grows to a length of 60 centimetres (24 in) SL (for a female specimen) and a maximum weight of 4.6 kilograms (10 lb). These fish are harvested in local commercial fisheries.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Megalodoras uranoscopus” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Stays near the bottom. Occurs in small groups and occasionally forms schools. Inhabits rivers. Is mainly diurnal. Feeds on the fruits of Licania longipetala and Astrocaryum jauary. Also feeds on pulmonate snails. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–77 °F (22–25 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–77 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 70°F (down to 65°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–80°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 81–85% on average (driest month about 78%) |
| Rainfall | about 2198 mm a year |
Measured at 84 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The giant talking catfish or giant raphael catfish (Megalodoras uranoscopus) is a species of thorny catfish that is native to the Amazon Basin in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. This species grows to a length of 60 cm SL (for a female specimen) and a maximum weight of 4.6 kg. These fish are harvested in local commercial fisheries. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | Maximum length 53.0 cm sl male/unsexed; maximum published weight 2.9 kg. — FishBase |
| Biology | Occurs in small groups and occasionally forms schools. Feeds on the fruits of Licania longipetala and Astrocaryum jauary. Also feeds on pulmonate snails. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Common length to maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 94 × 47 in (about 913 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Platydoras armatulus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- ScotCat: Oxydoras niger factsheet Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
More thorny catfish
Marbled Talking Catfish
Amblydoras nauticus
Aquarium hobby
Ripsaw catfish
Oxydoras niger
Aquarium hobby
Striped Raphael catfish
Platydoras armatulus
Aquarium hobby
Whitebarred catfish
Agamyxis pectinifrons
Aquarium hobby
Black-top Mouse Catfish
Hassar orestis
Aquarium hobby
Leptodoras linnelli
Leptodoras linnelli
Aquarium hobby