Details
Phractocephalus hemioliopterus
The redtail catfish is a large South American catfish with a vivid red tail. At night it patrols river bottoms and captures fish and crustaceans with a broad mouth.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It lives in big rivers, tributaries, flooded forest, and deep pools of the Neotropics. Large, often turbid freshwater with wood and cover is typical.
Length 80-134 cm; weight 30 kg-50 kg. A dark gray back, white belly, and bright red-orange tail stand out. The wide head and long barbels help it search in dim bottom waters.
Nocturnal and solitary as an adult, it ranges widely. By day it rests near deep water or structure, moving out to feed at night.
A carnivore, it eats fishes, crabs, shrimps, and small animals that fall into the water. The large mouth engulfs prey by suction.
Spawning is associated with seasonal river movements and rising water. Eggs and young develop in river habitats, and adults need large waterways.
It is listed as Least Concern, though local populations can still be affected by habitat change, collection, or pollution.
