Spotted Pimelodus

About

The Congo Barbaso (Pimelodus maculatus) is a sizeable, active catfish native to the Paraná and São Francisco River basins of South America, where it inhabits ponds and river systems and undertakes upstream migrations during the wet season to spawn. It grows large enough that a roomy setup is a genuine requirement, not a suggestion, and it should be housed with robust companions. Medium to large characins, rainbowfish, cyprinids, and tough armored catfish like loricariids or doradids all work well. Any fish small enough to fit in its mouth will eventually become a meal, and even larger but slow-moving tankmates can be harassed by its constant activity and long barbels, particularly after lights out. By nature it is a shoaling species, and a solo specimen will spend most of the day hiding, only venturing out once the tank goes dark. Keep a group and you will see a completely different, far more confident animal. Breeding has never been achieved in home aquaria, as the species requires the kind of long-distance migratory journey that simply cannot be replicated in a tank. New arrivals can be in rough condition after import, so acclimatize carefully. Being scaleless, it is especially vulnerable to disease and sensitive to many common medications, so always dose conservatively. One more practical note: those dorsal and pectoral spines are rigid, venomous, and painful. Skip the net and use a container when moving these fish.