Redtail catfish (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Red-tailed catfish, RTC, South American redtail catfish, Banana catfish, Pirarara, Bagre cajaro
Family
Pimelodidae (long-whiskered catfishes)
Origin
Amazon and Orinoco river basins, South America, including the lower Amazon, Nhamundá, Xingu, middle Orinoco and Apure.
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
134 cm
Temperature
21–26°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Hardness
Soft to medium, up to about 10 dGH (FishBase)
Minimum tank
10000 litres
Care level
expert
Temperament
semi_aggressive

Care

The redtail catfish is unmistakable: a dark grey back, white belly and a bright red to orange tail. Small, cheap juveniles are often sold, but this is one of the largest catfish in the hobby. PlanetCatfish gives a maximum of 134 cm standard length and FishBase a weight of over 44 kg; even typical fish reach around 60 cm or more. It is not suitable for home aquariums unless you can provide a pond-sized indoor tank for its whole life. No source gives a tank size; around 10,000 litres for an adult is our rough estimate, and public aquariums keep them in far larger systems. Keep all equipment outside the tank where possible, use subdued lighting, and remove small decor and heaters it could swallow or break – it is known for swallowing objects. PlanetCatfish gives 21–26 °C and pH 6.5–7.5 (FishBase quotes softer, more acidic water: pH 5.5–6.8, up to 10 dGH). Huge filtration and very large, frequent water changes are needed because of its size and appetite. Colour varies with diet and mood (the tail may be red, orange or pinkish); there are no known external differences between the sexes. Young fish occasionally show a temporary pale (amelanistic) form. Hybrids with the tiger shovelnose are also sold. PlanetCatfish shows its IUCN status as not evaluated; FishBase lists it as Least Concern (2020). It is fished for food and sport in South America and farmed there. 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=305); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Phractocephalus-hemioliopterus.html). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A predator that eats fish, crabs and fallen fruit in the wild. In captivity it is very prone to overfeeding: PlanetCatfish advises feeding sporadically and watching how active the fish is. Offer whole fish, prawns and similar foods every few days for adults, never anything with sharp bones or hooks, and never small items from the tank it could swallow.

Breeding

Only one captive spawning appears on PlanetCatfish: over 200 copper-coloured eggs about 6 mm across in a tank of roughly 570 litres. It is bred commercially in South American aquaculture, but home breeding is not practical.

Compatibility and tank mates

Territorial and best kept on its own unless it has a huge amount of space. It will eat any fish that fits in its mouth, which is very large. Given enough room it can live with other very large fish such as big pimelodids, doradids, cichlids and characins that are too big to be swallowed.

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

About Aquatic-Auctions

  • Aquatic-Auctions (aquatic-auctions.com) is a UK online marketplace for aquarium and pond livestock and equipment: tropical and marine fish, corals, shrimp, snails and other invertebrates, aquatic plants, tanks, filtration, lighting and food.
  • Items are sold by auction, buy it now or classified advert, by hobbyist and business sellers in the UK.
  • Buyers pay sellers directly; Aquatic-Auctions does not hold the money. Hobbyist sellers can only take PayPal or cash on collection. Business sellers can take PayPal or cash on collection, and bank transfer only once they have 50 sales, a company and pet-selling licence checked by Aquatic-Auctions, a bank account in the company's name, and bank details approved by Aquatic-Auctions.
  • Buyers are told to pay by PayPal Goods & Services, never PayPal Friends and Family, gift cards or crypto.
  • Live fish and other vertebrates must be sent by specialist live-animal couriers (for example APC Overnight or DX Express), never by Royal Mail. Some invertebrates and plants may go by Royal Mail Special Delivery or 1st Class within its rules.
  • 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.
  • Business sellers show their address, company details and pet-selling licence to buyers. Seller ratings run from 0 to 100: +1 for each positive feedback, −1 for each negative.
  • The site includes a free community species wiki with care guides (water parameters, tank size, diet, temperament, breeding).
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