current IGFA world record for weight belongs to the Brazilian Gilberto Fernandes with 56 kg (123 lb 7 oz). It is said that the natives do not eat the meat of the redtail catfish because it is black in coloration. In Thailand, it is an alien species that has been introduced by humans, like the common pleco, zebra tilapia, and alligator gar. In some places, it is feared because it has been believed to be the cause of the mysterious drownings of many of the passengers aboard the passenger ship Sobral Santos II when it sank. In the aquarium The redtail catfish is an extremely popular fish in Amazonian-themed exhibits at public aquaria, where they are often housed with other large fish, such as Colossoma macropomum or pacu, and other large catfish. Juveniles are often available as aquarium fish, despite their eventual large size. In an aquarium where they may be well-fed, these fish can grow quite rapidly, and require tanks of at least when fully adult. Weekly feeding is appropriate for this catfish; overfeeding is a common cause of death in this species. It feeds heavily on live and dead fishes and other meat. Even as a juvenile of only a few inches in length, they are able to swallow many of the more common aquarium fish (such as tetras or guppies), and it is only appropriate to house this fish with other species of relatively large size. Redtail catfish also have a habit of swallowing inedible objects in the aquarium. Though these are often regurgitated, both the swallowing and the regurgitation can present a problem for the fish, and these objects are best kept out of the aquarium. The redtail catfish has been hybridized with other fish, such as the Pseudoplatystoma or Tiger Shovelnose Catfish, through the use of hormones, in attempts to create a viable food fish: the Tiger Redtail Catfish. These hybrid fish sometimes make it into the aquarium hobby under a variety of common names. See also List of freshwater aquarium fish species References Pimelodidae Catfish of South America Catfish Catfish Catfish Catfish Catfish Catfish Catfish Catfish Fish described in 1801