AquaticRepublic.com - Cetopsis coecutiens (Cetopsidae) All Fishes

Close-up of mouth
Close-up of head
Rio Apure, Venezuela
Rio Apure, Venezuela
Male showing dorsal filament
Close-up of mouth
Close-up of teeth

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Cetopsis coecutiens** (Lichtenstein, 1819)
Common Names	Baby Whale Catfish Blå Vampyrmalle (Denmark), Blue Shark Catfish, Blue Torpedo Catfish, Blue Whale Catfish, Whale Catfish
Type Locality	Rivers of Equatorial Brazil.
Synonym(s)	Silurus caecutiens, Silurus coecutiens
Pronunciation	see TOP siss - koe cutey enz
Etymology	Cetopsis: From the Greek cetos, meaning whale, and -opsis, meaning likeness; in reference to the whale-like appearance.
Species Information
Size	265mm or 10.4" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	An uncommon import but commonly encountered in its natural habitat - a couple of hours hook and line night fishing in Peru yielded a dozen or so of these fish. Several other members of the family are imported rarely.
Sexing	Males are more slender than females and their dorsal fin tapers to a more elegant point in mature specimens.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: Amazon, Tocantins, and Orinoco River basins. Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there) Amazon, Lower Amazon, Tocantins (click on these areas to find other species found there) Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there) Orinoco, Middle Orinoco, Apure (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
pH	6.0 - 7.4
Temperature	22.0-26.0°C or 71.6-78.8°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters	An open water fish that requires strong current and oxygenation. It is a testament to the fishes adaptability that it survives in conditions less than this ideal. Water quality and general husbandry is important, and it is recommended that a minimum of 25% water is changed on a weekly to fortnightly basis.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Will accept frozen foods and readily adapts to all good sized live foods. Chopped mussels and live earthworms are favourites. Should not be weaned onto feeder fish but attempts to wean onto tablet food (especially shrimp based tablets) should be made from a young age. Be careful not to overfeed as this fish is an opportunistic feeder and will gorge itself given the chance. User data.
Furniture	A sparse, dimly lit tank is required. Provide only minimal cover for the fish to hide in during the day. The provision of a dim actinic light will allow you to observe the fish on its nocturnal prowling where it is an impressive midwater fish and needs room to roam. Substrate is important as although it is a midwater fish, it comes to rest on the bottom frequently. Use aquarium sand or rounded gravel.
Compatibility	Not a fish to be trusted with others. Its natural adult behaviour is to bite lumps out of larger deep river channel fish such as the scaleless Pimelodids. Younger fish in the aquarium do not seem so dangerous, perhaps because they are young or well fed. It will however always eat smaller fish and is an accomplished hunter.
Suggested Tankmates	It is believed these are a shoaling fish, but no data is available on keeping them as such in aquaria. Perhaps armoured catfish are the best bet, but ensure all fishes are well fed.
Breeding	Unreported and good luck trying to raise a brood of these things!
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Zoologisches Magazin (Wiedemann) 1819, v. 1 (pt 3), pp 61.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 6 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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	Look up C. coecutiens on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up C. coecutiens on Fishbase
	Look up C. coecutiens on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up C. coecutiens on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.23.119.339
Last Update	2025 Jan 01 11:56 (species record created: 2001 Apr 17 00:00)