Spotted hoplo (Megalechis picta)

Scientific name: Megalechis picta M?ller & Troschel, 1849

The Spotted hoplo (Megalechis picta) is a freshwater fish of the family Callichthyidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 18–28°C (64–82°F). Native range: South America, Amazon and Orinoco River basins, as well as coastal rivers of the Guianas and northern Brazil.

Spotted hoplo care at a glance

Temperature: 18–28°C (64–82°F)

Biology

Ubiquitous. Occurs in ponds, swamps and flooded savanna. May also occur in inland creeks with strong current. When the swamps are drained during the dry season, they burrow in the mud at a depth of 15-25 cm and remain there until the first rains. They hide only at the bottom of the marshes which remain always a little muddy even during the dry season. Today, they are presently captured with the net. Previously, fishermen drained the marshes in order to unearth the fish which had hidden there. Omnivore. Intestinal breathing, complementary to branchial breathing, enables them to adapt to extreme hypoxic conditions which occur in their biotopes. For these reasons, the relevant intestinal zone has a more reduced mucus epithelium as well as an increased blood system. In the dry season when swamps get dry, they sink deeper into the muddy substrate down to a depth of 20 cm. This way, they live at a slower pace, often in groups, un

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Megalechis picta
Family: Callichthyidae (Callichthyid armored catfishes)
Order: Siluriformes (Catfish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 15.5
Environment: Freshwater;; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19 demersal
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: South America: Amazon and Orinoco River basins, as well as coastal rivers of the Guianas and northern Brazil.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)