HomeFreshwater aquarium fishCatfish & plecosMegalechis thoracata Megalechis thoracata Scientific name: Megalechis thoracata Valenciennes, 1840 Megalechis thoracata is a freshwater fish of the family Callichthyidae that grows to about 13 cm (5.1 in). It is easy to keep and peaceful, suits community aquariums and needs a tank of at least 115 L (30 US gal), water at 17–28°C (63–82°F) and a pH of 5.5–8.2. Native range: South America, Orinoco and upper Paraguay River basins. Megalechis thoracata care at a glanceCare levelEasyTemperamentPeacefulCommunity tankExcellentAdult size13 cm (5.1 in)Minimum tank115 L (30 US gal)Temperature17–28°C (63–82°F)pH5.5–8.2Hardness4–18 dGH (71–321 ppm)DietOmnivore. Accepts flakes, sinking pellets, frozen foods and live foods. Species factsScientific nameMegalechis thoracataFamilyCallichthyidae (Callichthyid armored catfishes)OrderSiluriformes (Catfish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length12.4EnvironmentFreshwater; demersalClimateTropicalDistributionSouth America: Amazon, Orinoco and upper Paraguay River basins, as well as coastal rivers of the Guianas and northern Brazil.Conservation status (IUCN)Not EvaluatedThreat to humansHarmlessResilienceHigh, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More catfish & plecosCorydoras sterbaiFalse network catfishCorydoras sodalisSchwartz's catfishCorydoras schwartziGreen gold catfishCorydoras melanotaeniaFalse spotted catfishCorydoras leucomelasSalt and Pepper catfishCorydoras habrosusSee all catfish & plecos SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Aquarium care parameters compiled, checked and converted to metric and imperial units by Guppies.za.net.Last updated 28 September 2026