Animal-World > Freshwater Fish > Catfish > Four-lined Pimodella

Four-lined Pimodella

Flat-nosed Catfish - Antenna Catfish Family: Pimelodidae

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Pimelodus blochii Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

What's in a name?... Pimelodus means "fat tooth"!

   The Four-lined Pimodella is a very handsome and hardy fish! It is also a peaceful fish as long as it is kept with tankmates too big for it to eat!

   This catfish locates its' food by smell and by feeling it with its antennae. The Four-lined Pimodella especially likes worms of all kinds and some of its favorites are bloodworms and earthworms.

   The spine on the dorsal fin has a saw-edged tip that acts like a barbed hook. It used to be said that the dorsal spine of the Four-lined Pimodella is poisonous and should be avoided. Recently though several authors have said this is probably not true.

   The Four-lined Pimodella swims in the lower portion or bottom of the aquarium and should be provided places to hide during the day. Only occasionally will it go to the surface to breath air through its intestinal respiratory system. These fish can also be kept in brackish water.

   In oxygen depleted waters, the Four-lined Pimodella can change almost entirely to surface breathing!

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:
   The Four-lined Pimodella are found in South America in most larger rivers from Panama to Brazil.

Size - Weight:
   They will grow to a length of 12 inches (30 cm).

Social Behaviors:
   The Four-lined Pimodella are generally a good community fish with tankmates their own size, or larger. They will nip at the fins of tankmates of the same species. Don't keep with fish that are much smaller since they are predaceous.

Sexual Differences:
   Not known.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in the bottom of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: to 35° dGH (Can be kept in brackish water)
   Ph: 5.5 to 6.8
   Temp: 26-28° C

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The Four-lined Pimodella have not been successfully bred in aquariums.

Availability:
   The Four-lined Pimodella is readily available and is inexpensive.

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Latest Comments
My four line eats worms, feederfish, and crickets, it is 16inch long. Jason 2009-06-30
Four line catfish eat cory catfish, shrimp, worms, lizards, gold fish, hamsters - they will eat what fits in their mouth. Jason 2009-06-28
My four line cat fish is 15 inches long. In the wild four line cat fish grow up to 7 feet. Jason 2009-06-19
I have recently bought a pimodella cat. I loved it so I bought another one today. They are very active fish and are a friendly fish. They get along great with my 3 angelfish and albino rainbow shark. hey 2009-02-02
Mine is about 8" long and gets along real well with two 5" plecos, one 7" synodontis cat, and two 4" synodontis. These are all the catfishes in my tank. This fish doesn't get too large and is still attractive. I would love a red tail cat but they grow to 40 inches! meee 2008-12-21

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Author: David Brough. CFS.