Tiger Shovel Nose

The tiger shovelnose (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum) is a large predatory catfish from the Amazon and Orinoco basins, silver with bold dark bars and blotches, a long flattened snout and prominent barbels. We would rather be blunt than sell you one that ends up homeless: most juveniles in the trade outgrow the tank they were bought for.

Aquarium care

• Grows very large, commonly beyond 90 cm, and needs a system measured in metres and thousands of litres.
• A pure predator. It will swallow any tankmate that fits, including fish it has appeared to ignore for months.
• Powerful and easily startled; it can injure its snout against glass and lids.
• Needs very heavy filtration and large regular water changes.
• Takes meaty frozen and prepared foods once weaned off live food.
• Provide open swimming space and a secure, weighted lid.

This is a fish for a purpose-built large system, kept alone or with other fish far too large to be eaten. It is not a community fish at any size. Please talk to our staff about adult housing before buying one — if you cannot house a fish approaching a metre long, this is not the right catfish.

Stock rotates with each shipment, and livestock is available for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. Browse the catfish collection.