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Allan James (4) Zhou Hang (1) Chris Ralph (2) Jean-Francois Helias (9)

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Anal soft rays: 10 - 13; Vertebrae: 50 - 51. Can be differentiated from its congeners by the unique combination of the following characters: head extremely depressed and broad; dorsal spine well ossified, long (11.9-14.8% SL), and with 10-12 serrations on the posterior edge; cream-colored coracoidal region; caudal fin dark grey, with cream procurrent and first principal caudal rays; maxillary barbels reaching to middle of dorsal-fin base (143.7-195.4% HL). Smooth flat skull roof; occipital process reaches basal bone of dorsal fin; 10-11 soft pectoral-fin rays; no stripe on body. Presence of white markings on pectoral fin and dorsal fin tips, anterior edge of adipose, upper and lower margins of caudal peduncle and caudal, including filaments. Habitat: Lives in large rivers with fast flowing water over muddy substrate. Appears to be restricted in the middle reaches of rivers. Feeds on insects, prawns and fishes. Sold fresh in the markets. Aquarium Care: This catfish has evil written throughout its body. This is not a catfish for the novice fishkeeper and should not be kept within the confines of small aquaria. This particular species is often referred to as a “tank buster” due to the size that it can attain. These catfish are destined to be kept in solitary confinement due to their predatory and territorial habits. Diet: A diet which includes pieces of fish, whole prawns, mussels and earthworms to name but a few. In its natural habitat this catfish is a predator capable of devouring any fish small enough to fit inside its large mouth. Etymology: The genus name Hemibagrus: Hemi- half; bagrus- from 'bagre', a South American name for a catfish, but is only used for African and Asian species. The specific name wyckii: in honour of Herman Constantijn Van der Wijck (1815-1889), Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion, Regent of the Preanger Regencies, Java, Indonesia (type locality), who invited Bleeker to a fishing party in which the river was poisoned with “akar toeba” (a plant whose roots contain the ichthyocide rotenone) and large masses of stunned fishes were ladled from the water [a regency is a rural area, larger than a city; a regent is its leader, similar to a mayor].

Crystal Eyed Catfish

Bagrus wyckii, Mystus wyckii, Macrones wyckii

Bagridae

Asia: Cambodia, Beng Cha Prek-tuk-Kampot, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Mekong, Menam Chap Phya, Lopburi, Kanburi, Meping and Mechan rivers. Vietnam.

71.0cm. (28¼ins)

22-25°C (71-77°F)

6.5-7.2.

Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2009. FishBase.World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (01/2009).
ScotCat Factsheet no. 146, August 2008.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.