Golden Marble Tiger Shovelnose Catfish
Common Name: Tiger Shovelnose Catfish
Scientific Name: Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum
Names: Burrito
Locations: Whitby
Diet
Nocturnal ambush predator, feeding mainly on other fish (e.g., characins, knifefishes, cichlids) and freshwater crabs
Average lifespan
Around 20 years or more in the wild
Size
Reaches up to 90 cm total length (TL)
Weight
Maximum published weight of about 70 kg
About
A large pimelodid catfish endemic to the Suriname, Corantijn and Essequibo river basins in northern South America. It has a fusiform body marked by alternating dark vertical bars on a pale background and long barbels around the mouth.
Size and behavior
Primarily bottom-dwelling and crepuscular to nocturnal, it lies in wait among submerged structures before striking. Uses sensitive barbels to detect prey in murky waters and exhibits minimal warning before a rapid strike.
Diet and nutrition
Opportunistic piscivore—beyond fish and crabs, it will take crustaceans and any suitably sized aquatic animal. Employs suction feeding to draw prey into its large mouth.
Conservation status
Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with stable populations across its native range despite localized fishing pressure
Fun fact
Females have extraordinarily high fecundity—early estimates suggested up to 8 million eggs per kilogram of body mass, though more recent studies place it at around 150,000 eggs per kilogram, making it one of the most prolific freshwater spawners recorded.
