Brachyplatystoma juruense

The Rio Jurua is a tributary of the Amazon River approximately 3,300 km long; it originates in Peru (Ucayali Region) and flows into the Amazon River in Brazil, where it traverses the state of Amazonas. The river gives its name to one of the most sought-after large catfish among predatory fish enthusiasts, namely Brachyplatystoma juruense. However, the species is much more widely distributed. It is known from virtually the entire Amazon and Orinoco basins and the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. With a final length of over 60 cm, it is also highly sought after as a food fish, especially since the meat of these large catfish is said to taste excellent.

The adult fish has a strikingly attractive pattern, featuring dark stripes on a white or yellowish background. The juveniles, however, exhibit highly variable body coloration; some are spotted, others striped, and still others solid-colored, with the latter ranging from completely black to nearly white. A common feature among all is the white caudal fin (at least in the upper half), the upper lobe of which bears a filament extending the full length of the body. Even the juveniles are fish hunters. They often position themselves at an angle in the current, with their heads pointing upward. In this posture, the caudal filament helps stabilize their swimming position, much like the tail of a kite. Another posture typical of the species is when the fish sit on the bottom, supported by their pelvic fins, and look upward. In this posture, the caudal filament may serve as “bait” to attract unwary small fish. In adult specimens, the caudal filaments are significantly shorter. 

Caring for such “monster fish” is a task for specialists; we will therefore not go into further detail here. We typically import juveniles from Peru and larger fish from Brazil.

For our customers: depending on their size, these fish are listed on our stock list under codes 211200 (5–8 cm) through 211208 (35–40 cm). Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer