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Allan James (2) Peru Aquarium Group (1) Daniel Blom (3) Wolfgang Ros (10) Karsten Schönherr (1) Pier Aquatics (1) Erling Holm (1)

Habitat: Occurs in principal river beds, in upstream parts of rivers, downstream rapids, in backwater zones or on stony bottoms of pools with dead tree trunks. Reproduction: The presence of sperm in the mucus of the female's genital tract is indicative of internal  fertilisation. Aquarium Care: Can be predatory with smaller tankmates so choose carefully. Not suited to be housed with smaller species but should fit in with South American Cichlids, L-number cats and members of the Doradidae family. Diet: Piscivorous. Gregarious feeders in the aquarium and are not fussy eaters. Earthworms, white and black worms, Tilapia filets, or trout pieces, tablet and pellet foods and frozen foods such as bloodworm. When adult you do not need to feed this fish every day, every second day would suffice on the diet of the above foods. Remarks: Active at dusk. Emits loud grumblings. Secretes toxic mucus and the wounds caused by its pectoral spines are very painful. The female can preserve spermatozoids by coating them with original maternal secretions and inserting them in the epithelium of its genital tract.

Ornate Pim

Megalonema rhabdostigma

Pimelodidae

South America: Amazon, Corintijns, Essequibo, Orinoco, and Paraná River basins. Also in major rivers of  the Guianas.

38.5cm. (15½ins)

24-25°C (75-77°F)

6.5-7.2.

Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2008. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (11/2008).
Ros, Wolfgang (2008): Ein Schmuckstück im Aquarium: Der Raubwels Pimelodus ornatus, Aquaristik- Aktuell (4): 54-57.
ScotCat Factsheet no.193 July 2012.