Scientific Name

Ariopsis seemanni  Günther, 1864     

Common Name(s)

Colombian Shark Catfish, Shark Catfish, White Tip Shark Catfish

Type Locality

Central America

Synonym(s)

Arius jordani, Arius seemanni, Galeichthys eigenmanni, Galeichthys gilberti, Galeichthys jordani, Galeichthys seemanni, Galeichthys simonsi, Hexanematichthys jordani, Hexanematichthys seemanni, Hexanematichthys simonsi, Tachisurus jordani, Tachisurus seemanni, Tachysurus eigenmanni

Pronunciation

sea MAN aye

Size

350mm (13.8") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

ID based on adult specimens, the young fish appear regularly in the hobby and various species (from coastal Peru and Brazil) may be available. The differences between many of the genus are slight at an early age.

Sexing

Immature at under 200mm length, female has lighter fins in adult fish.

Distribution

Pacific rivers from Southern California down to Colombia.
Pacific  , Eastern Central Pacific   (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)

pH

6.8 - 8.0

Temperature

22.0-26.0°C or 71.6-78.8°F (Show others within this range)

Other Parameters

Salt should be added in relation to the age of the fish. The older the fish, the more salt, right up to 100% marine. The fish is very tolerant of changes of salinity and will live in freshwater happily as a young fish.

Feeding

A true omnivore, these fish are often near starvation when bought at the smaller than 2" size but can be brought on very successfully on frozen bloodworm. Once acclimatized, feed less protein rich foods such as catfish tablets. The fish can be trained to approach the surface to feed. Adults can be fed frozen prawns intermittently.

Furniture

Large, open spaces not too brightly lit, this fish is an active shoaler although initially youngsters are quite shy if not given plenty of plant cover. Rocks and or wood are unnecessary.

Compatibility

Very similar to South American Pimelodids, keep with fish that like similar water conditions and are big enough to prevent being considered prey. Youngsters (smaller than 12cm) can be kept in alkaline fresh water (with for example rift lake cichlids), but larger fish MUST have salt added to the water in order to thrive.

Suggested Tankmates

Initially most medium sized active fish, but with the addition of salt to the water as the fish grow, brackish water fish such as Monos, Scats or large Mollies are the order of the day.

Breeding

A mouthbrooder, the few, amazingly large eggs are incubated by the male. Reproduction in the aquarium is difficult as the aquarist requires to emulate the migration from marine to fresh water and back again in a spacious aquarium. The is one verbal report of this being accomplished by an American aquarist who spawned the fish by gradually changed the water from marine to fresh water and back again over a 12 month period.

Registered Keepers

(1) Trident2004, (2) cats4me, (3) kntrygrl4lyfe, (4) Benjamin (k: 2), (5) Meechity (k: 2), who also notes: ""The Pepper Twins" 10 inches; kept in very hard, alkaline freshwater. I am ready to slowly acclimate them to brackish water, but I am amazed at how healthy and active they have been in the hard freshwater.", (6) Walter (k: 24), (7) RobDoran1 (p: 2), (8) Eddie, (9) brettjurgens (k: 3), (10) alderfish, (11) luv4jjt, (12) GixxerBabe, (13) geekshow, (14) pokerbunny, (15) ryguy713 (p: 2), (16) dragonfish, (17) seds (p: 2), (18) willis30, (19) tezr (k: 2), (20) betsyboo (k: 3), (21) arapaimag (k: 6), (22) Sara1210.

Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.

Add this species to your "my cats" page.

Breeding Reports

None.

More Resources

- CotM 1998 June
- Search Planet Catfish for more on Ariopsis seemanni
- BBcode (for use in linking to this page from forum posts)
- Look up Ariopsis seemanni on AquaticRepublic.com
- Look up Ariopsis seemanni on Fishbase, I.T.I.S. or ispecies search.
- URL (for use in linking to the species from anywhere on the web)

Hits

41753

Last Update

2010 Sep 14 06:02 (species record created: 2001 Oct 13 00:00)