The Redtail Catfish is a pimelodid (long-whiskered) catfish named for its red or orange caudal fin. The barbels along their snout are extremely sensitive and loaded with chemical reception cells, acting as another sense of smell for the fish. Due to their large size, the indigenous people in South America utilize these fish as a food source. They have been introduced into Florida, but have not established a sustainable population. It is a slow-moving, bottom-dwelling fish that is thought to attack prey by probing and ambush.