Marbled Pim (Leiarius marmoratus) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Marbled Pim, Achara Catfish, Sailfin Pimeloid, Marmor-Prachtantennenwels (German)
Family
Pimelodidae (long-whiskered catfishes)
Origin
South America: Amazon and Orinoco river basins (described from the Marañón or Napo area of Peru/Ecuador).
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
80 cm
Temperature
21–25°C
pH
5.8–7.4
Hardness
Soft to medium; clean, well-oxygenated water matters most
Minimum tank
3000 litres
Care level
expert
Temperament
semi_aggressive

Care

A huge, active pimelodid that reaches about 80 cm standard length (FishBase gives up to 1 m total length). Youngsters sold at a few centimetres grow very quickly, so this is a fish for public aquaria or keepers with a genuinely enormous tank. The 3,000-litre minimum given here is our estimate from adult size; a long, wide tank or indoor pond with plenty of open swimming space is needed for a fully grown fish. Decor: a few big, heavy branches or bogwood roots for daytime cover over a base of large, smooth pebbles. PlanetCatfish advises against sand (the fish shift it around) and sharp gravel (it can injure them). Protect heaters and pipework, as an adult is very strong. It is nocturnal but soon comes out to feed once settled. Water: soft to medium, slightly acid to neutral, 21-25 °C. Large, frequent water changes and powerful filtration are essential; PlanetCatfish notes that the fish loses appetite and becomes sluggish in poor water. Identification: told from the similar Perrunichthys perruno by its longer dorsal fin (10-11 rays rather than 8), and from Leiarius pictus by a taller dorsal fin, although this difference fades with age. Older literature mixed it up with L. longibarbis; a 2007 revision sorted out the names. Males and females cannot reliably be told apart. Status: assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN (2020). Minor food fish in its range and occasionally kept in public aquaria. Selling: our policies require the adult size and long-term tank needs to be stated clearly in the listing. Large fish must travel by a specialist live-animal courier (see the Livestock shipping guide). Sources: PlanetCatfish (planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?speciesid=245); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Leiarius-marmoratus.html). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Predatory. Large sinking catfish pellets, prawns, crab, crayfish, mussel, earthworms and maggots; fish pieces are taken readily. Juveniles eat a lot and grow fast; adults do better on fewer, larger meals with the odd fast day. Avoid fatty mammal meat as a staple.

Breeding

No captive breeding has been reported. Males and females cannot be reliably sexed, and the adult size makes spawning in home aquaria very unlikely.

Compatibility and tank mates

Will swallow any fish that fits in its mouth, including surprisingly large tankmates. Otherwise fairly tolerant of fish too big to eat: large cichlids, big characins, arowanas and other large catfish in a very large system. Avoid keeping several large predatory catfish in cramped conditions.

Last updated 5 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

About Aquatic-Auctions

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  • Banned and invasive species (for example those on the GB invasive species lists) cannot be listed, and sellers must meet the site’s animal welfare standards.
  • Members must be 16 or over to buy (16 and 17-year-olds with a parent or guardian’s agreement); sellers must be 18 or over.
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