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No federal permit to keepTiger sorubim
Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Pimelodidae (Long-whiskered catfish)
Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum, the tiger sorubim, tiger shovelnose or caparari is a species of long-whiskered catfish native to the Amazon Basin in South America. The largest individuals of this species grows to 130 cm (51 in) in total length.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: An adult reaches about 51.2 in (130 cm). That needs a pond or public-aquarium-scale system, far beyond a home aquarium.
- Water: Freshwater (tolerates brackish).
- Temperature: 72–79°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6.2–7.2.
- Hardness: 0–20 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
- Availability: Mostly kept by public aquariums; private keeping is uncommon.
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
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–79 °F, pH 6–7.6, 5–20 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Strictly speaking, decor isn't necessary for a tank containing an adult, provided the lighting is fairly dim.”
- Diet: “Piscivorous by nature, but usually adapts well to dead foods in captivity.”
- Tankmates: “Whilst it won't hesitate to gobble any smaller fish, it's actually quite peaceful and can be kept alongside other similarly-sized species in suitable surroundings.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Long-whiskered catfish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: South American pimelodids occupy river channels and tributaries, with redtails and shovelnoses also using flooded forests. [fg178-pictus, fg178-redtail, fg178-sorubim]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For P. pictus, use at least 120 × 45 × 45 cm (about 243 L), with open swimming space.
- Adult redtails and P. fasciatum require facility-scale housing: approximately 360 × 240 × 120 cm (10,368 L) is explicitly only a minimum in the reference.
- Provide dim lighting and appropriately sized shelters; use fine sand for pictus.
- For giant species, secure heavy furnishings and avoid swallowable gravel; bare bottoms or large smooth pebbles are alternatives.
- Use efficient biological filtration, regular partial water changes and, for giants, equipment protected in an external sump.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 71.6–77°F |
Diet
- Pictus: sinking prepared foods and frozen bloodworms.
- Earthworms, sized for the fish.
- Giant predators: prawns and mussels.
- Giant predators: white-fish portions; vary foods and reduce feeding frequency as adults mature.
Social life
- Pictus are shoaling fish, preferably six or more in adequate space; adult redtails and shovelnoses can be territorial towards other large pimelodids. Companions must be too large to swallow.
Health watch
- Barbel erosion with deteriorating water quality.
- White spot and poor condition in newly imported pictus.
- Obesity and fatty organ damage from overfeeding or inappropriate mammal meat.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
Although most specimens are smaller than this.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum” (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 and brackish water, in rivers and streams, lakes, estuaries. Stays near the bottom. Occurs in estuarine zones, mainly upstream of the first rapids up to the basin's headwaters. Nocturnal species which lives in the main bed of slow or fast zones, as well as in the flooded forests, particularly the juveniles., Opportunistic, piscivorous fish which may feed on crabs and shrimps. At the end of the dry season, they can migrate at the same time as their prey, then return at the end of the rainy season. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater / brackish water, 72–79 °F (22–26 °C), pH 6.2–7.2, hardness 20 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–79 °F.
- It tolerates or needs brackish water; check salinity needs before setup.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 93°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 69°F (down to 62°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 77–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 78–84% on average (driest month about 77%) |
| Rainfall | about 2250 mm a year |
Measured at 140 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.
| 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 130 cm tl male/unsexed; maximum published weight 17.0 kg; maximum reported age 18 years. — FishBase |
| Biology | Occurs in estuarine zones, mainly upstream of the first rapids up to the basin's headwaters. Nocturnal species which lives in the main bed of slow or fast zones, as well as in the flooded forests, particularly the juveniles., Opportunistic, piscivorous fish which may feed on crabs and shrimps. At the end of the dry season, they can migrate at the same time as their prey, then return at the end of the rainy season. — 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.
Maximum recorded lifespan
Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
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: Pimelodus pictus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Phractocephalus hemioliopterus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum Experienced keeper or breederAdded 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.
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