Edit Clarias batrachus
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Name
Scientific name
Clarias batrachus
Described by
Authority Linnaeus, Year 1758, Bracketed
Family
Clariidae
Common names
Walking Catfish
Photograph credits
All 2 credited
Summary
The walking catfish, Clarias batrachus, is a large air-breathing catfish. In the strict sense it is known only from Java, and the walking c…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
245mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Minimum length 210 cm, Minimum depth 120 cm, Minimum height 90 cm
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 20–26°C, pH 5.5–8
Hardness
2–25dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Predatory
Social needs
Not recorded
Community suitability
Not recorded
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Indonesia
Writing
Etymology
Not written yet
Distribution
Known with certainty only from river drainages in Java, Indonesia. The walking catfish was long thought to range from Pakistan to Indonesia, but Ng and Kottela…
Habitat
Inhabits river systems, swamps, pools, rice paddies, canals and ditches. It's often found in stagnant waters left over after the rivers have been in flood, as …
Aquarium size
210 ∗ 120 ∗ 90 cm - ~2268 litres for a fully grown adult specimen. Juveniles can be grown on in smaller tanks.
Maintenance
Floor space is more important than depth with this species. A soft substrate with pieces of driftwood, smooth rocks, lengths of plastic piping etc. arranged to…
Water conditions
Temperature: 20 – 26 °C pH: 5.5-8.0 Hardness: 2-25°H
Diet
A greedy and omnivorous species that will eat almost anything offered. A varied mixture of dried pellets, meaty frozen foods and vegetable matter is recommende…
Behaviour and compatibility
C. batrachus is highly predatory and will eat any fish it can fit into its large mouth. It can be kept with other similarly-sized, robust species, such as larg…
Sexual dimorphism
In the wild form, male fish show spotting in the dorsal fin. This distinction cannot be made for the aquarium varieties, but sexing can be determined by examin…
Reproduction
Has been achieved in huge numbers on fish farms throughout the world, but occurs less often in aquaria. It is possible in a suitably sized aquarium, though. It…
Notes
An incredibly hardy species, the walking catfish is tolerant of a very wide range of water chemistry and temperature. It can also survive in oxygen-depleted co…
References
References
No references