Doncella, Pseudoplatystoma is a South American catfish that belongs to the family Pimelodidae. The photo shows one of doncella species; Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum, which is known as “tiger shovelnose catfish”. Doncellas typically inhabit major South American rivers, lakes, flooded forests and other freshwater habitats. These fishes are important as a food fish in addition to the demand they enjoy in aquarium trade. These fishes are primarily predators which feed on fish, crustaceans such as crabs or shrimps. Their predation ability is supported by their large and expandable mouth. Their barbels enable the fish to locate their food in muddy waters whereas the visibility is often poor. The induced spawning of this fish would enhance the possibility of their commercial production through aquaculture.
