An obligate predator feeding on other fishes in nature, but quality dried foods are normally accepted in captivity.

It should also be offered meaty fare such as strips of white fish, live earthworms, shrimp, etc., for optimum health.

Several Brachyrhamdia species have developed colour patterns that mimic syntopically-occurring Corydoras spp. throughout the life-cycle, and the remainder, including B. meesi, may mimic Otocinclus or smaller Corydoras spp. when juvenile. They’re easily told apart from Corydoras by their significantly longer barbels and lack of scute-like plates on the body.

This rich feeding ground is exploited until the sea water returns, at which point the catfishes begin to migrate upstream in massive numbers, moving up the Amazon and its tributaries. Sexually mature individuals are not normally recorded during these events so they’re thought related to feeding and dispersal rather than spawning. The fish are subject to intensive capture by commercial and artisanal fishing operations during this upstream movement.

This species can be told apart from the very similar-looking congener B. filamentosum by its smaller adult size (B. filamentosum can grow to almost 3 m in length), shorter maxillary barbels (never extending beyond base of adipose fin (vs. extending beyond base of adipose fin), moderately-forked with lobes of equal size (vs. deeply-forked caudal fin with upper lobe usually longer than the lower) and body col…

Study of B. rousseauxii has revealed that sexually mature adults are found only in the western Amazon, with no mature individual ever recorded east of Manaus despite the intensive commercial fishery operating there. The total distance covered by some populations during migration from the delta was as much as 5500 km, making it the longest known in any freshwater fish species.

Found in a number of habitat-types, though rarely in smaller tributaries, generally preferring deeper, flowing channels through which it travels for considerable distances at certain times of year. Like other large, migratory pimelodids these movements are typically associated with nutrient-rich, white water drainages rather than nutrient-poor black waters.

Several Brachyrhamdia species have developed colour patterns that mimic syntopically-occurring Corydoras spp. throughout the life-cycle, and the remainder may mimic Otocinclus or smaller Corydoras spp. when juvenile.

Among other catfishes they’re closely-related to members of the genus Pimelodella, but differ in…

In the Amazon region it is only specimens larger than around 160 cm and werighing in excess of 50 kg that are referred to as ‘Piraíba’ with the name ‘filhote’ normally applied to smaller individuals. Other vernacular names include ‘Salton catfish’, ‘Kumakuma’; and ‘tiger antenna catfish’; with members of the genus often referred to collectively as ‘goliath catfishes’.

This species is sometimes confused with B. juruense, especially when juvenile, but can be told apart quite easily by it’s more well-defined colour pattern, relatively slender body shape and longer barbels. It was described in the genus Meredontotus, but is currently included in Brachyplatystoma based on a pair of synapomorphies shared by memb…