Schilbe marmoratus (Boulenger, 1911)
Image contributors to this species:
Allan James (3)
ScotCat Sources:
Other Sources:
Relevant Information:	Never has an adipose fin, whereas some of this family may or may not have. Also akin to this family is the drooped down caudal fin. Similar to S.yangambianus and S.brevianalis which also have a marbled pattern but these two species possess an adipose fin. Little is known on the breeding side of this species but Mathes (1964) mentioned a ripe female having 13,600 pale and yellow round eggs in the ovaries. Aquarium Care: Would need to be housed with species that are the same size or larger as they will eat smaller fish. Large aquarium with planting around back and sides. Provide roots and rocks for hiding to make them feel secure in their surroundings. Water should be of good quality so regular water changes are a must. Diet: Feeding is un-problematic as this is a catfish that readily accepts commercial prepared foods such as pellets and granules. Frozen foods, whitebait, prawns and slivers of white fish such as haddock should be given as part of a weekly balanced diet.
Common Name:	Grass Cutter Catfish
Synonyms:	Schilbe congolensis
Family:	Schilbeidaetidae
Distribution:	Africa: Congo River basin and Shiloango system. Type locality: la rivière Sankuru (Kasaï).
Size:	18cm. (7ins)
Temp:	22-25°C (71-77°F)
p.H.	6.0-7.2.
Reference:	Baensch, H.A. and R. Riehl 1991 Aquarien atlas. Bd. 3. Melle: Mergus, Verlag für Natur- und Heimtierkunde, Germany. 1104 p. Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628 De Vos, L. 1995 A systematic revision of the African Schilbeidae (Teleostei, Siluriformes). With an annotated bibliography. Ann. Mus. R. Afr. Centr., Sci. Zool., 271:1-450. ScotCat Factsheet no.182 August 2011.