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Hippocampus Bildarchiv (2) Frants Lehmann (5 Stamps) Chris Ralph (1) Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (3) Allan James (2)

Description: Anal-9. No rayed dorsal fin, adipose fin short, pectorals without spines, caudal rounded. Head and body rounded and fleshy, mouth terminal, teeth fine, in broad bands on both jaws, 3 pairs barbels, outer mandibulars longest, reaching base of pectorals, gill slits short, restricted to sides. Colouration: Body grey to to brown above with a white underside. Numerous black spots and blotches along the body, denser on posterior half. Caudal fin dark at base margined with orange or red, anal fin similarly coloured. Ventral and pectoral fins yellowish to red. Young specimens differ from adults - the body being flesh coloured with very few black spots and having a light ring around the caudal peduncle and a vertical black bar at the base of the caudal fin. Aquarium Care: Not to be trusted when adult so will need to be kept on its own. Juveniles can be kept together but would need to be monitered when growing. Diet: In their natural habitat they feed on fishes that are stunned by their electrical charges so adults would need to be fed live fish. If bought as juveniles you may be able to wean them on to worm food such as garden worms, frozen bloodworm, shrimp, krill and small pieces of fish or meat. The urge to overfeed must be avoided as they can get quite gluttonous. They could also be trained to take tablet food. It is a matter of trial and error in different individuals.

Electric Catfish

Silurus electricus

Malapteruridae

Africa: Nile and tropical Africa (except Lake Victoria and rivers of East Africa north  of the Zambezi), Lake Tanganyika and probably Malagarazi, Fernando Poo Island. Also known from the lower and middle Zambezi, Pungwe, lower Save, and throughout the Congo system.

90.0cm. (36ins)

23-30°C (73-87°F)

6.5-8.0.

Norris, S.M., 2002. A revision of the African electric catfishes, family Malapteruridae (Teleostei, Siluriformes), with erection of a new genus and descriptions of fourteen new species, and an annotated bibliography. Ann. Mus. R. Afr. Centr., Sci. Zool., 289:155 p.
ScotCat Factsheet no. 130. April 2007.