This is a huge species when
fully grown and it is not a fish for the home aquarium.
The second and third thumbnail images show an albino
form from the D.R. Congo which was captured by local
fishermen. Habitat: Found in large
rivers throughout the Congo system and prefers a rocky
substrate or places where trees have fallen in the
water. Diet: The diet of this species
is insect larvae when young to a predator on fish
when growing into adulthood.
Common
Name:
Kokuni, Kamba Cat
Synonyms:
Pimelodus cranchii,
Chrysichthys börressoni
Family:
Claroteidae
Distribution:
Africa: Lualaba
River system, Congo basin. Type locality:
Lubosi river, a tributary to Luala river, Lower Congo.
Size:
150cm. TL. (52ins-4ft 4ins)
Temp:
24-28°C (75-83°F)
p.H.
6.0-7.5.
Reference:
Froese, R. and D. Pauly.
Editors. 2015. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic
publication. www.fishbase.org, ( 04/2015 ). Seegers, L., 2008. The catfishes
of Africa: A handbook for identification and maintenance.
Aqualog Verlag A.C.S. GmbH, Germany. 604 p. Risch, L. and E.J. Vreven, 2007.
Claroteinae. p. 607-629. In M.L.J. Stiassny, G.G.
Teugels and C.D. Hopkins (eds.) The fresh and brackish
water fishes of Lower Guinea, West-Central Africa.
Volume I. Collection Faune et Flore tropicales 42.
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement,
Paris, France, Muséum National d’Histoire
Naturelle, Paris, France, and Musée Royal de
l’Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgium. 800 pp.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist
of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes),
and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa
1418:1-628.
Chrysichthys
cranchii Caught by Jakub Vagner, courtesy of Jakub
Vagner
Chrysichthys
cranchii Albino form
Chrysichthys
cranchii Albino form
Chrysichthys
cranchii Mbomo, Republic of the Congo
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