The Four-lined Pimelodus is a moderately large sized catfish, reaching up to about 14 inches (35 cm) in the wild. In the aquarium it will generally reach about 8” (20 cm). Its base color is silver gray, which is striped over with a darker gray that gives them their apt name. As they mature, they often lose this striping and turn into a washed out gray tone. As with most catfish, they have flattened undersides and triangular flanks, leading up to their sharp, pointed dorsal fin. Their antennae are extremely long, allowing them to navigate in murky conditions and find the coordinates to nearby food. There are many color variances of this species which makes them hard to identify, but whether any subspecies exist are unknown at this point.
Size of fish - inches: 14.0 inches (35.56 cm) - They usually only obtain about 8” (20 cm) in the aquarium.
Lifespan: 8 years - They generally live 8 to10 years, but have been reported to live up to 15 years in the aquarium.