Pintado Tank Stocking

Pintado (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans) stocking density in tanks

The pintado, also known as surubim (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans), is a large Pantanal catfish. In cage culture (tanque-rede) its stocking biomass usually sits between 1 to 2 kg/m³. For a tank holding V liters, the biomass it supports is B = ρ · V/1000, where ρ is the density in kg/m³ and the V/1000 term converts liters to cubic meters.

Pintado is a strict carnivore, so it needs extruded feed carrying crude protein above 40 %, and it grows best when the water stays at 26 – 30 °C. Taking it through a full grow-out cycle to the commercial weight of 5 – 15 kg runs 18 – 24 months. Years of extractive overfishing put the wild species under pressure, and that pushed EMBRAPA Pantanal toward aquaculture programs (the SAFRA cultivar lines) as a sustainable route, with Mato Grosso emerging as a top producer state.

Applications

This calculator helps you size cages and earth ponds and build a feed budget (FCR around 1.6 – 2.0 for pintado). Use it to project harvest income and to check that you stay within the stocking-density limits set by the Brazilian normative IN MAPA. SAFRA breeder farms can also lean on it to estimate fingerling demand, and it fits well into technical assistance (ATER) reports.

FAQ

Can I stock above 2 kg/m³? Yes, but only with strong aeration and continuous water exchange. Pintado reacts badly to dissolved oxygen below 4 mg/L, and once juveniles get crowded they start turning on each other.

How long until harvest? Starting from 50 g fingerlings, figure on 18 – 24 months to hit the commercial 5 kg mark. The bigger fillet-grade fish (10 – 15 kg) take 30 + months.

Is pintado the same as cachara? No. They share the genus Pseudoplatystoma, but the pintado (P. corruscans) wears rounder spots while the cachara (P. reticulatum) shows reticulated dark markings. When you cross the two, the commercial hybrid goes to market as cachapintado or pintado real.