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Description: A species of Pseudoplatystoma distinguished by a combination of the following features: loop–like dark bars forming a reticulating pattern, never straight as in P. fasciatum, P. orinocoense and P. punctifer ?; dark, loop–like bars join those in the dorsal region of the body forming distinct cells; longer loop– like dark bars, extending far below the lateral line; head shows either spots or loops; 42–43 vertebrae; anal fin always with spots; no clear demarcation between dark dorsal and pale ventral regions; lower jaw pointed. 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. 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.

Reticulated Shovelnose

Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum reticulatum

Pimelodidae

South America: Central Amazon and Paraná River in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

60.5cm. (26ins)

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. 2017. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (07/17).