SCOTCAT.COM  

your internet guide to all things catfish
≡
  • HOME
  • FACTSHEETS
    • By Month/Year
    • By Family
    • by Genus
    • by Common Names
    • By Specific Names
    • By Continent
      • Index
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Australasia
      • Europe
      • North America
      • South America
  • GALLERIES
    • Photo Gallery
    • Art Gallery
    • Movie Gallery
    • Stamps Gallery
  • FAMILIES
    • A-B
      • Ailiidae
      • Akysidae
      • Amblycipitidae
      • Amphiliidae
      • Anchariidae
      • Ariidae
      • Aspredinidae
      • Astroblepidae
      • Auchenipteridae
      • Austroglanididae
      • Bagridae
    • C-D
      • Callichthyidae
      • Cetopsidae
      • Chacidae
      • Clariidae
      • Claroteidae
      • Cranoglanididae
      • Diplomystidae
      • Doradidae
    • E-H
      • Erithistidae
      • Heptapteridae
      • Heteropneustidae
      • Horabagridae
    • I-M
      • Ictaluridae
      • Lacantuniidae
      • Loricariidae
      • Malapteruridae
      • Mochokidae
    • N-P
      • Nematogenyidae
      • Pangasiidae
      • Phreatobiidae
      • Pimelodidae
      • Plotosidae
      • Pseudopimelodidae
    • S-T
      • Schilbeidae
      • Scoloplacidae
      • Siluridae
      • Sisoridae
      • Trichomycteridae
  • ARTICLES
    • Index
    • Breeding
    • By Author
    • Cat-Articles
    • General
    • Numbered List
    • Ichthyology
    • Travel/Collecting
  • IDENT-A-CAT
  • RESOURCES
    • Citation
    • Etymology
    • Fishhouse
    • Glossary
    • Scientific Papers
    • ScotShop
  • SITE MAP
  • FB GROUP
  • HELP
    • Index
    • Catfish Anatomy
    • Convertors
    • FAQ
    • Ident-A-Cat
    • Water Chemistry

Bagarius bagarius (Hamilton, 1822)

 

Image contributors to this species:

Asian Exports (1) Paul Tapley (3) Chris Ralph (1) Peter Petersen (1) Nonn Panitvong (1) Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (2) Allan James (2)

ScotCat Sources:

Factsheet  Article  Etymology = Genus

Other Sources:

Search  Fishbase  Wikipedia  Catalog of Fishes  Global Biodiversity Information Facility  FishNet2  iNaturalist

Relevant Information:

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6 - 6; Anal soft rays: 13 - 14; Vertebrae: 38 - 42. Pelvic-fin origin in front of the base of the last dorsal ray; adipose-fin origin behind the anal-fin origin. Elongate neural spines 4-8, distally expanded abdominal vertebrae 17-20. Absence of sharp ridge on top of head; absence of bumps on dorsal mid-line behind dorsal fin base. Mouth large, inferior and arciform. Inhabits rapid and rocky pools of large and medium-sized rivers and feeds on insects, small fishes, frogs and shrimps. Reproduction: Breeds in rivers prior to the beginning of the annual flood season. Marketed fresh. Important as a food fish, but the meat spoils rapidly and can cause illness. Aquarium Care: This really is a fish destined to live a solitary life due to the fact that it would eat just about any other occupant that it could fit inside its mouth. When keeping the Devil Catfish it is essential to provide the fish with oxygen-rich water due to the fact that these fish are from highland streams. I have personally found it essential (Ralph. 2002) to provide good filtration and water movement in order to keep this fish in optimum condition. Regular 25% water changes are also appreciated by this catfish, and I always carry these changes out weekly and certainly no longer than fortnightly. Diet: As its common name suggests this truly is a demon amongst the fish world, requiring meaty foods at all times. In the wild this fish would predate upon smaller fishes, but in an aquarium it can be persuaded to feed upon cockles, mussels, whole prawns, dead fish and earthworms. It is also documented that this catfish when kept with fish bigger than itself, that it would eat their scales. Remarks: As of January 2021 there are now five Bagarius species described. The "Devil Catfish" Bagarius bagarius from the Indian subcontinent. The "Dwarf Goonch" B. vegrandis is found in Chao Phraya and the Mekong. The "Flat head Goonch" B. suchus is found in Chao Phraya and the Mekong. The Giant B. lica is found in every basin except Salween. B. rutilis from Vietnam, and the undescribed species B. sp. salween which is only found in Salween. B. yarrelli is now a synonym of Bagarius bagarius.

Common Name:

Devil Catfish

Synonyms:

Pimelodus bagarius, Bagarius yarellii, Bagarius lica, Bagarius buchanani

Family:

Sisoridae

Distribution:

Asia: Ganges, Mekong and Chao Phraya basins. Reported from Salween, Maeklong and Peninsular Thailand. Type Locality: Ganges River, India.

Size:

90.0cm. (36ins)

Temp:

18-25°c (64-77°f.)

p.H.

6.5-7.8.

Reference:

ScotCat Factsheet no. 78. Dec. 2002.
Baensch, H.A. and R. Riehl 1985 Aquarien atlas. Band 2. Mergus, Verlag für Natur- und Heimtierkunde GmbH, Melle, Germany. 1216 p.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2009. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (01/2011).


Back to Family page


Family: Sisoridae  Back to Ident-A-Cat  Click on Thumbnails

Click for full image Bagarius bagarius
Click for full imageBagarius bagarius
Click for full imageBagarius bagarius
Click for full imageBagarius bagarius
Click for full imageBagarius bagarius
Click for full imageBagarius bagarius
Dorsal view
Click for full imageBagarius bagarius
Click for full imageBagarius bagarius
Head view
Click for full imageBagarius bagarius
Click for full imageBagarius bagarius
Head view

 

If you would like to contribute to the monthly factsheets with an article, information or photos, please e-mail me. You will of course be credited for your work.

 

Donate towards my web hosting bill!

 

If you would like to donate any denomination of monies to the site just click the above link button. All proceeds will go to running the site and hopefully to keep it going for a few years yet.

  • Facebook about us + contact us + citation + translate + site map + scotshop + glossary + etymology +
  • help YouTube

©2022 SCOTCAT.COM