Piracatinga

Length Category:  Medium (40-100 cm)

Trophic Level:  Omnivore

Migratory Pattern:  Medium Distance (100-1,000 km)

Spawning Period:  Rising + High

Export Market:  National (outside Amazon)

Market Status:  Third class

Catch Distribution:

Piracatinga potential yield was estimated to be approximately 1,600 tons. The Brazilian-Colombian-Peruvian Border region (78%) accounts for most of the total, followed by the Central Amazon (15%).

Natural History Notes:

The piracatinga is a medium-sized, highly omnivorous catfish. It is one of the few catfish species that can bite out pieces of flesh. During the floods it feeds on fleshy fruits in flooded forests. It is also common in waters near urban waterfronts, where it feeds on offal. Large schools are encountered in river channels at the beginning of rising water and it is assumed that these represent spawning runs. The piracatinga is found in whitewater, blackwater and clearwater rivers.