Pictus Angelicus Catfish

The Pictus Catfish, more specifically the Pictus Angelicus, is a beautiful sleek catfish from the Colombia jungle with a white body and black spots and very, very long whiskers. Pictus only grow to five inches, but the whiskers also grow to nearly five inches. These peaceful catfish do have a little venom in their barb, which can feel like a bee sting, so handle with care.

Pictus were introduced to the European aquarium trade in the late 1890s and got their name from the Latin word for "painted," referring to the irregular spotted pattern.

These are peaceful catfish but might eat small tank mates like exotic shrimp and small rasboras.

Quick Facts

Care Guide

Tank setup: Pictus are active swimmers. Give them open swimming space, some hiding places, a soft bottom and good filtration.

Feeding: Feed sinking pellets once or twice a day. They also enjoy frozen foods like bloodworms.

Tankmates: They are peaceful but will eat small fish like neon tetras. Keep them with fish too large to fit in their mouth.

Good to know: Pictus catfish have sharp spines in their fins, so use a container rather than a net when moving them.