Pictus Catfish
Pimelodus pictus
The Pictus Catfish (Pimelodus pictus) is a peaceful fish that's a good step up once you have a little experience. Give it a tank of at least 200 litres (53 US gallons), water held at 73-82°F, and a pH of 6-7.5. Always keep a group of at least 3 - they feel safest in numbers.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
South America (Amazon/Orinoco)
- South America
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Pictus Catfish Tank Setup
Plan for at least 200 litres (53 US gallons) with soft sand or smooth, rounded gravel - sharp substrate wears down their delicate barbels. Keep the water at 73-82°F with a pH around 6-7.5. Always keep a group of at least 3 of their own kind - kept alone or in pairs they tend to turn shy, nippy, or wash out in colour. They reach about 13 cm as adults, so don't be misled by the small juveniles sold in stores.
What Do Pictus Catfish Eat?
They're bottom feeders, so give them sinking wafers, tablets, or frozen treats like bloodworm once the lights go down. Flakes that never reach the bottom leave them hungry even when the tank looks well-fed.
Pictus Catfish Tank Mates
SCALELESS - highly sensitive to medications and salt; use half-doses of any treatment. Will eat any fish small enough to fit in its mouth (neon tetra sized or smaller) - do not keep with nano fish. Needs groups of 3+ and a large tank (4ft+) due to active swimming. Sharp pectoral spines - use a cup not a net when moving. The Pictus Catfish is peaceful, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. It's predatory, so anything small enough to fit in its mouth will be treated as food rather than a companion. It's a shoaling fish, so settle a group of 3 or more of its own kind before adding anything else - a stressed, lonely fish is far more likely to nip or hide. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Pictus Catfish Good for Beginners?
Not a sensible first purchase. Get the tank cycled, keep easier fish stable for a year, then revisit if you still want the extra work this species demands.
Pictus Catfish - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Pictus Catfish need?
Pictus Catfish need a tank of at least 200 litres (53 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
How many Pictus Catfish should I keep together?
Keep a group of at least 3. Pictus Catfish are a shoaling species and become stressed, lose their colour, or hide when kept singly or in pairs.
What water parameters do Pictus Catfish need?
Keep them at 73-82°F with a pH of 6-7.5, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Pictus Catfish eat?
Pictus Catfish are bottom feeders. Give them sinking wafers, tablets, and frozen foods that settle on the substrate, ideally after the lights go off. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Pictus Catfish good for beginners?
Pictus Catfish are best for keepers with a little experience. They are manageable once you test water regularly and catch problems early; a complete beginner may prefer something more forgiving first.
Common mistakes with Pictus Catfish
- Underestimating tank size - the minimum footprint is 200 litres (53 US gallons); impulse buying into a smaller tank leads to stress and shortened lifespan.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Fish to avoid mixing with Pictus Catfish
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- OscarPredator - Oscar will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Serpae TetraFin nipper - will shred the fins of peaceful fish
- Zebra DanioFin nipper - will shred the fins of peaceful fish
