The catfish family Pimelodidae is restricted to South America. It is a quite diverse family. Although only about 90 species are known they could hardly be more contrasting. The smallest species (a still undescribed one from the Amazon river) becomes only 2.5 cm long, the largest (Brachyplatystoma filamentosum) becomes 2 metres long. Most species, however, […]

Once more we were able to be the first who imported this pretty driftwood cat. The identification of Tatia species is not that easy. Although there is a very recent revision of the genus available, the species concept used there reflects only few aspects of coloration. So currently fish of very different coloration are lumped […]

The genus Pseudobunocephalus has been erected quite recently (2008). It is distinguished from the other banjo cat genera by externally invisible characters of the teeth and bone structures. As aquarists are more interested in fish than in technical definitions of genera it may be mentioned that nevertheless there are some external features that allow to […]

A small sensation reached us recently from Brazil. Already when the small (4-6 cm long) catfish were unpacked their brillant black-and-white-pattern was a real eyecatcher. The fish definetely belong to the genus Centromochlus, which currently comprises 11 species in South America. These fish are close relatives of the better known genus Tatia and belong (like […]

At Aquarium Glaser not only small fish for private community tanks are stocked, but also real rarities for scientific institutions and large fish for public aquaria and zoos. A specimen for the latter category reached us now: a gigantic Phractocephalus hemiliopterus, more than 80 cm long. We stocked the fish for a Russian customer. The […]

This bizarre species has been described scientifically already in 1840. It is widely distributed in the whole Amazon basin. Nevertheless it becomes only rarely imported and so it is highly demanded by fans of predatory catfish who pay quite high prices for them. The species can attain a total length of about 45 cm. We […]

Already in 1766 this species was described under the name Silurus galeatus by the founder of the zoological nomenclature, Carl von Linné. It is extremely widespread in South America. Today this fish is classified in the family Auchenipteridae, and within this family in the subfamily Auchenipterinae. The species in Auchenipterinae share a very special feature: […]

The Doradidae family contains around 90 species in about 35 genera. Thus they represent only a minority among the huge number of catfishes existing in South America. But all dordadid catfishes are really bizzarre and desirable creatures for catfish enthusiasts. There are dordaid catfishes that reach around one metre in length, but for Opsodoras stuebelii […]

female Sometimes fishes have the same problems as human beings: one cannot choose his relatives! And so the good reputation of a small fish sometimes is destroyed due to the bad one of a cousin. The most by far feared species of fish in South America is the so-called candiru. In fact, the name candiru […]

The catfishes of the genus Brachyplatystoma are some of the most important foodfish in the basins of the Amazon, the Orinoco and the countries of the Guiana shield. Some of them may reach a length of 360 cm and a weight of 200 kg. Many thousand tons are landed each year, which led to local […]

For the first time ever we were able now to import a catfish from Argentina which is new for the hobby. It looks amazingly similar to the Asian shark, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (a well known synonym of that species is Pangasius sutchi). The identification of the new fish wasn´t easy, but thanks to Ingo Seidel from […]

(09.May 2008) A real strange fish was now imported by us from the south of Brasil. This fish belongs to the Glanidium family and shows a size of about 40cm, which is really big for such an fish. They look very calm, but during the night they start to eat….everything what they can get into their big […]

The shovel nose catfish is a classical appearance in the hobby. Even in the most common aquarium shops you can find this species as juveniles with a length between 8 and 10 cm. These fish are very appealing when they are small, but one should reconsider an impulsive buy here because these fish can grow […]

July 2002: For the first time we could import Ageneiosus vittatus from Peru. Slopehead catfish of the genus Ageneiosus are particularly noticeable by its strongly flattened head. These predators can reach an overall length of 30 cm. For the maintenance large basins are necessary. A dark bottom, some stones and bogwood should be brought in […]

This pencil catfish, a relative of parasitic the urethra of humans entering catfishes, is very rarely traded. The affiliation to the genus Pareiodon is rather clear, the species classification however is yet not clarifyed. As predators they should not be socialized with to small fishes. Due to their rarity no reports about their maintenance in […]

One of the in the aquarium most easy to keep pencil catfishes is Trichomycterus alternatus. This species, originating from the Rio de Janeiro region, reaches an overall length of for 10cm and can be maintained in aquaria starting from 60cm length. These very shy fish, reminding in their appearance of our in Europe native Stone […]

January 2001: At present we can offer Amaralia hypsiura for friends of the extraordinary . This rarely dealt catfish attains full growth with approx. 15 cm length. It originates from the Amzon and there it feeds mainly, as gastric examinations of freshly caught fishes documents, predominantly the spawn of other fish. Fortunately they are not […]

The banjocat new imported from Peru immediately attract attention due to their interesting colouring in contrast to other species of the same relation circle. Therefore some animals are almost unicoloured white while other specimens mainly show some irregular black markings. The care of this species does not differ from that of other relatives of this […]

The rarely traded largest shovelnose catfish Pseudoplatysoma corruscans originates from the Rio Sao Francisco in Brazil. This predator becomes quite large (approx. 180cm) and heavy (100 kg). They like to stay in groups and socialize well with rays, big charazins, cichlids or other catfishes. (Photo F. Schäfer, Text K. Diehl)