It is native to the freshwater systems of South America, specifically the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia.

The coloration of this species is typically dark brown with lighter spots, providing camouflage in its natural habitat.

Pimelodella yaharo is a nocturnal predator, feeding primarily on small insects, crustaceans, and other aquatic invertebrates.

However, it is believed to exhibit similar breeding behaviors to other members of the Heptapteridae family, such as laying eggs in secluded areas with some degree of parental care.

Yaharo is the pre-conquest name of present-day Dibulla (Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia), which is the type locality.