Southern Sailfin Catfish: Facts & Habitat

About Southern Sailfin Catfish

Pterygoplichthys anisitsi also known as the Paraná sailfin catfish, southern sailfin catfish, is a species of catfish in the family Loricariidae. Its natural range is the middle Paraná and Uruguay River basins of south-central South America, but it has been introduced to North America and South Asia, probably via the pet trade. Like other loricariid catfishes, Pterygoplichthys anisitsi has a ventral mouth modified into a sucking disk and a body covered in bony plates. The species typically has a dark and white spotted body pattern, although some individuals are very dark with few spots. It reaches 55 cm (21.7 inches) in total length and can weigh up to at least 2.3 kg.

IntroducedFresh2 states

Gas exchange and respiration

Pterygoplichthys anisitsi is capable of breathing both air and water. During nighttime or when the fish experiences a low-oxygen environment, it will swim to the surface to gulp in air. When breathing air, the species uses its stomach for the diffusion of oxygen into the blood.

Etymology

The fish is named in honor of Juan Daniel Anisits (1856–1911), who collected the type specimen.

Article text: Wikipedia contributors, Pterygoplichthys anisitsi (source revision). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Diet and feeding

The FishTraits compilation records these diet categories for this species: algae or phytoplankton; detritus or unidentified plant material; invertebrates or larval fish. These are broad categories, not a claim that every individual consumes every example in a category.

Reported feeding positions include bottom feeding. The compilation combines published observations; diets can vary with age, locality, and available food.

Habitat preferences

Reported habitat associations include streams and small rivers.

Size and recorded longevity

FishTraits reports a maximum total length of 41 centimetres. Some entries use an estimated asymptotic length; this value should not be treated as a certified record catch.

Identification and appearance

Pterygoplichthys and other suckermouth armored catfishes (family Loricariidae) can be distinguished from native North American catfishes (Ictaluridae) by the presence of flexible bony plates (absent in ictalurids) and a ventral suctorial mouth (terminal in ictalurids). Pterygoplichthys is often confused with Hypostomus: these genera can be distinguished by the number of dorsal fin rays (7-8 in Hypostomus vs. 9-14 in Pterygoplichthys).

Native range

South America: Paraguay, middle Paraná, Bermejo, and Uruguay River Basins (Froese and Pauly, 2012).

Habitat and ecology

Freshwater; demersal; Tropical; 21–24 °C (Froese and Pauly, 2012). This catfish primarily is a detritivore, but it also feed on benthic invertebrates and algae. Like other members of this group, it digs burrows for nests (Nico and Martin, 2001)

Introduction history

Probably the result of aquarium release.

Ecological impacts

Male members of the genus Pterygoplichthys dig out river banks to create burrows in which an attracted female will lay and guard her eggs. In large numbers, this burrowing behavior by Pterygoplichthys contributes to problems with siltation. In addition, the burrows potentially destabilize the banks, leading to an increased rate of erosion (Nico et al. 2009). Diurnal aggregations of Pterygoplichthys can potentially alter nutrient dynamics by creating biogeochemical hotspots through nitrogen and phosphorus excretion and remineralization (Capps and Flecker 2013).

Range

Where it lives

93.8%of mapped records

Share of 16 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 2 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water: WoRMS records this species in fresh water.
USGS NAS habitat: Freshwater
US status: Exotic — the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database lists it as introduced from outside North America.

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Class: Teleostei
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Loricariidae
Genus: Pterygoplichthys
Species: Pterygoplichthys anisitsi
ITIS TSN: 680350
WoRMS AphiaID: 1018678
GBIF key: 2339979

Common questions about Southern Sailfin Catfish

What is the scientific name of Southern Sailfin Catfish?

The scientific name is Pterygoplichthys anisitsi, in the family Loricariidae. Classification follows ITIS.

Does Southern Sailfin Catfish live in fresh water or salt water?

WoRMS records this species in fresh water.

Where has Southern Sailfin Catfish been recorded in the United States?

GBIF has observations in 2 states, with the most records in Texas, Florida. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives