Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Redtail Catfish
Phractocephalus hemioliopterus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Also called Red-tail catfish, Pirarara (Brazil), Cajaro / Bagre cajaro (Venezuela), Banana catfish (Guyana)
From South America: the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo basins, across Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana and Suriname.12
At a glance the quick version
Unsexed maximum; FishBase lists 44.2 kg while Wikipedia gives about 80 kg.
Looks how to spot one
Massive, broad-headed catfish with three pairs of barbels
A big, heavy catfish with a wide flat head and long whiskers. The back is dark, a pale band runs from the mouth along the flanks, and the tail and dorsal fin glow orange-red.21
Personality what they are like
Relaxed toward fish of similar size but a big-mouthed predator of anything small, and territorial toward other large catfish.32
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Swims more actively than many bottom catfish and feeds mainly at night.2
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
A fish for public aquariums or keepers with huge systems: Seriously Fish suggests roughly 360 x 240 x 120 cm (over 10,000 litres) as a minimum for an adult. Adults need feeding only about once a week, juveniles every other day.32
Home where they are happiest
Very large aquarium with strong filtration. Water about 20-26 C, pH roughly 5.5-7.5, hardness up to about 12 dH.13
Food basics what goes in the bowl
An opportunistic omnivore. In the wild it eats fish, crabs and fallen fruit; in captivity prawns, mussels, white fish and earthworms suit it.132
Company who they like around
Fine alone or with other big, robust fish such as large doradids, pacu and characins; keep only one per tank unless the space is vast.32
The story where it all began
Described by Bloch and Schneider in 1801, the redtail catfish has a fossil lineage stretching back about 13.5 million years. It is a popular centrepiece in Amazon-themed displays at public aquariums and a prized sport fish in South America.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Its Brazilian name pirarara comes from Tupi words for fish and macaw, a nod to its colours.2
- 2
It can make clicking sounds to communicate.2
- 3
The genus name combines Greek words for fence and head.1
- 4
Some South American peoples traditionally do not eat it because its meat is dark.2
- 5
The IGFA world record fish weighed 56 kg.2
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern (assessed December 2020)1
- Taxonomy
- Described by Bloch & Schneider in 18011
- Family
- Pimelodidae (long-whiskered catfishes)1
- IGFA
- All-tackle world record of 56 kg (123 lb 7 oz), caught in Brazil in 20102
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Redtail Catfish. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Feedingevery day
- Water changeAbout 30 to 50% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Filter rinseevery 2 weeks
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Phractocephalus hemioliopterus fishbase.seused for distribution, size, weight, water parameters, diet, IUCN, etymology
- Wikipedia: Redtail catfish en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, appearance, size, behaviour, record, history, fun facts
- Seriously Fish: Phractocephalus hemioliopterus seriouslyfish.comused for tank size, water parameters, diet, feeding frequency, compatibility
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.