Whilst these are magnificent
fish to observe they are not ideally suited to life
in captivity, unless being looked after in a large
Public Aquarium. It is suggested that the scientific
name is derived from the local name of ‘bagre
perruno’ by the local people of the Maracaibo
basin (bagre is the South American name for a catfish).
I have kept a number of these catfish over the years
(Chris Ralph-factsheet no.166) and have noted that
they can fast for periods of time which can be slightly
worrying when this happens, and tends to coincide
after having a particularly heavy meal. The longest
fast lasted 4 weeks. Description:
The fact that this catfish has distinctive markings
and very long maxillary barbels make it easily identifiable.
Leiarius perruno is sometimes confused with
Leiarius
pictus (Sailfin
pimelodid) and Leiarius
marmoratus (Marble antenna catfish).
Diet: Leiarius perruno
is a predatory fish in its natural habitat, feeding
upon any unsuspecting fish which happen to get in
the way of its relatively large cavernous mouth. Remarks:
Still named in most online sources as Perrunichthys
perruno but it is now valid as a synoynm of
L. perruno.
Common
Name:
Leopard catfish
Synonyms:
Perrunichthys perruno
Family:
Pimelodidae
Distribution:
South America:
Venezuela and Colombia from the Rio Negro system.
Type locality: Rio Negro below the
mouth of the Rio Yasa, 75km south of Rosario on the
west side of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Size:
60.0cm. (24ins)
Temp:
22-26°C (72-79°F)
p.H.
6.0-7.2.
Reference:
Lundberg, J. G., J.
P. Sullivan and M. Hardman 2011 (Oct.). Phylogenetics
of the South American catfish family Pimelodidae (Teleostei:
Siluriformes) using nuclear and mitochondrial gene
sequences. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences
of Philadelphia v. 161: 153-189. Orrell T (2020). NMNH Extant Specimen
Records. Version 1.35. National Museum of Natural
History, Smithsonian Institution. Occurrence dataset
https://doi.org/10.15468/hnhrg3 accessed via GBIF.org.
ScotCat
Factsheet.
no.166. April 2010.
If you would like to contribute to the monthly
factsheets with an article, information or photos, please e-mail
me. You will of course be credited for your work.
If you would like to donate any denomination
of monies to the site just click the above link button. All proceeds
will go to running the site and hopefully to keep it going for a few
years yet.