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Frank Alvarez (2) Erlend D Bertelsen (1)

Description: A species of Pseudoplatystoma distinguished by a combination of the following features: rays on dorsal and ventral lobes of caudal fin with fused branches or not separated as in other species of Pseudoplatystoma; wide, straight, dark vertical bars on sides; no loops on nape and associated areas; dorsal and ventral regions of pectoral fin pale with no spots; dorsal fin with few or no spots (sometimes 5 spots); 43 vertebrae; adipose fin with few large spots (6–7 spots); areas surrounding the procurrent rays of dorsal fin without spots; posterior region of the metapterygoid wider than in other species, forming a depression or notch in the dorsal margin of the suspensorium. Aquarium Care: Its tank should have a shaded area at the back such as a large branch and plants to hide under as it is nocturnal, and also the lighting should not be too bright. Should not be kept with any fish that is smaller than itself and it also should be housed in a very large tank. The best companions would probably be large Pacu's or similar sized fish that would not be swallowed. In my opinion this wonderful looking Pim should only be kept in Public Aquariums as it can damage its large nose if kept in too confined an area, it can get jumpy too if feels its barbels on the tank sides as it turns around. It can also go of its food as well, if it is anyway disturbed. Diet: In their natural habitat they eat other fish such as characins and other catfish, they also eat freshwater crabs. In the aquarium a diet of earthworms, freshwater fish such as trout and also shrimp and prawns. You should only feed when it starts looking actively for it, as they will rest for a few days after feeding to digest their food. Remarks: There has been 5 new species described by Buitrago-Suárez, U.A. and B.M. Burr in 2007, to go alongside P. tigrinum, P. fasciatum and P. corruscans. These species are P. punctifer (Castelnau), P. reticulatum Eigenmann & Eigenmann, P. orinocoense, P. metaense, and P. magdaleniatum. So far P. punctifer is the only species that has not been accepted in some publications in print and on the internet. Two species (P. punctifer ? and P. tigrinum) are sympatric in the Amazon Basin, two (P. metaenseand P. orinocoense) are sympatric in the Orinoco Basin, and two others, P. corruscans and P. reticulatum, are sympatric in the Paraná. Pseudoplatystoma magdaleniatum and P. fasciatum each occur as the only species of Pseudoplatystoma in their respective individual ranges.

None

Pseudoplatystoma garciamarquezi

Pimelodidae

South America: Magdalena River drainage, including Cauca River in Colombia.

80.0cm. (32ins)

24-28°C (75-83°F)

6.5-8.0.

Buitrago-Suárez, U.A. and B.M. Burr, 2007. Taxonomy of the catfish genus Pseudoplatystoma Bleeker (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae) with recognition of eight species. Zootaxa 1512:1-38.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2011. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version.