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Fishes of Mainland Southeast Asia (1)

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 0. Distinguished from Southeast Asian congeners by an extremely short and rounded occipital process and by a very high dorsal fin. The combination of these characters are diagnostic for the species. Occipital process wide, broadly curved, with length 3-5 times in its width; distance between dorsal and occipital process 5-7 times in distance from tip of snout to end of occipital process. Habitat: Lives in lowland wetlands and rivers and occurs in shallow, open water and is capable of lying buried in mud for lengthy period if ponds and lakes evaporate during dry seasons. Can move out of the water using its extended fins. Found in medium to large-sized rivers, stagnant water bodies including sluggish flowing canals and flooded fields of the Mekong. Reproduction: Spawns in small streams and feeds on aquatic insects, young shrimps and small fishes. In Thailand and Laos, this fish is considered to be better and more nourishing than Clarias batrachus; uncommon in Laos but common in Thailand; thought wrongly as female of Clarias batrachus in Thailand. Important foodfish and in pond cultures. Marketed live, fresh and frozen; consumed fried, broiled and baked. Cultivated on a small scale but attempts to farm it are increasing. Remarks: The species is assessed as Near Threatened by the IUCN at present due to the scale of decline in suitable habitat, the impacts of introduced species and the extensive population decline. If data were available on the rate of population decline it is likely that this species may even reach the thresholds for a threatened category.

Bighead catfish

Clarias leiacanthus

Clariidae

Asia: Thailand to Viet Nam. Introduced to China, Malaysia, Guam and the Philippines.

100cm. (40ins)

23-28°C (73-83°F)

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