Stats

Lifespan

10-15 yrs

Size

Small

Diet

Omnivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

School

Biome

Freshwater river

Range

South America

Movement

Swimming

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Spines

Status

Near Threatened

About

This small catfish dwells in the sandy riverbeds of Peru and Ecuador. It uses sensitive barbels around its mouth to sift through sediment for buried food.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   hatchling fry

   A tiny fry hatches with a yolk sac and begins free-swimming once the sac is absorbed.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A juvenile takes on adult body shape and feeds on small prey, often in nursery waters.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown at adult size and coloration.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
• Watch on YouTube →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Actinopterygii

Order

Siluriformes

Family

Callichthyidae

Genus

Hoplisoma

Species

Hoplisoma panda