Huge Pimelodus blochii's

[fishnatics]

Took the kids to visit Madison, Wi and stopped by at the Henry Vilas Zoo. I've never seen big 4 line catfish till I came across these in their small but nice Amazon section. They were just chilling out. In one pic I stretched out my hand to compare how big the cat was. Hopefully some day mine will get this big.

 

[fishnatics]

Short video of the cats.

 

[moe214]

I had a 12" one before. Biggest I've read of was TBTB 14 incher. They're nice when they get big

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

My hand is ~ 6" from the tip of the middle finger to the base of the thumb. If yours is about that too, I am guesstimating these guys to be ~10"-11" TL (to the base of the tail fork). Very nice size and they are thick too! Muscular mini-monsters.

 

[fishnatics]

My hand is ~ 6" from the tip of the middle finger to the base of the thumb. If yours is about that too, I am guesstimating these guys to be ~10"-11" TL (to the base of the tail fork). Very nice size and they are thick too! Muscular mini-monsters.

Yep same size hand. The one behind it was bigger but was alittle wary of me.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

I'd be too. You're a monster with oversized hands...

 

[fishnatics]

I'd be too. You're a monster with oversized hands...

Lol

 

[Frank Castle]

my 4-lined Pim will get 14"???? I read 9" max...wth?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=653 states 9.8" SL = Standard length, which excludes caudal fin. 14" is TL, total length, i.e., to the base of the tail fork.

14" was an eyeball guess, kind of like the one I made in this thread. So, I'd not squabble over 1" or even 2".

Anyhow, 12" blochii are very rare and likely are very old.

 

[moe214]

Agree with the above, they do have fairly long caudal fins, and mine I got at about 11 maybe 11.5" and had it for over a year before it got there and met its untimely demise. I've got another growing out right now. Gonna be a long time before he's big enough to go in the bigger tank.