No federal permit to keep

Spotted hoplo

Megalechis picta

Also known as Atipa

Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Callichthyidae (Corydoras and armored catfish)

Megalechis picta, the Tail bar armored catfish, Tail bar hoplo or Spotted Hoplo, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Callichthyidae and the subfamily Callichthyinae, the armoured catfishes.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Beginner

Spotted hoplo — Photo: Silva-Oliveira C, Canto ALC, Ribeiro FRV, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Silva-Oliveira C, Canto ALC, Ribeiro FRV, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

FamilyCorydoras and armored catfish

Adult lengthup to 6.7 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 6.7 in / 17 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 64–82°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 6–8.
Hardness: 5–19 dGH.
Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
Diet: FishBase classes it as a carnivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 64–82 °F, pH 5–7.5, 15–20 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Ideally use a substrate of fine sand, although rounded gravel is an acceptable alternative provided it's kept scrupulously clean.”
Tankmates: “Peaceful and hardy, although perhaps a little boisterous for communities containing much smaller or less robust species.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Corydoras and armored catfish

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Shallow South American streams. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Soft sand substrate, groups of six or more, and clean water.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Diet

Sinking pellets, wafers and frozen bloodworms.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Social life

Keep in groups.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Health watch

Barbel erosion on dirty or rough substrate.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Understanding the animal

About this animal

M. picta occurs east of the Andes in the Amazon, Orinoco, and upper Essequibo River basins, and coastal rivers of northern Brazil.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Megalechis picta” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Stays near the bottom.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 64–82 °F (18–28 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 5–19 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: nesters.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 64–82 °F.

FishBase species summary: Megalechis picta

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 91°F (up to 95°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 70°F (down to 64°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	77–81°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	77–84% on average (driest month about 75%)
Rainfall	about 2363 mm a year

Measured at 126 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	Megalechis picta, the Tail bar armored catfish, Tail bar hoplo or Spotted Hoplo, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Callichthyidae and the subfamily Callichthyinae, the armoured catfishes. M. picta occurs east of the Andes in the Amazon, Orinoco, and upper Essequibo River basins, and coastal rivers of northern Brazil. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Reproduction	Male builds nests in shallow swamps or swamp forests during the rainy season. — FishBase
Biology	Obligate air-breathing; Ubiquitous. Occurs in ponds, swamps and flooded savanna. May also occur in inland creeks with strong current. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Typical adult weight

Reported12.3oz

FishBase 16412.3

Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).

Adult length

Average of sources5.7in

FishBase 1646.7

Seriously Fish species profiles 1674.7

Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources64–82°F

FishBase 16464–82

Seriously Fish species profiles 16764–82

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources5.5–7.8

FishBase 1646–8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1675–7.5

Water hardness

Average of sources10–19.5dGH

FishBase 1645–19

Seriously Fish species profiles 16715–20

Minimum tank footprint

Reported47in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16747

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 64 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding)
3 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.