Bagarius
bagarius (Hamilton, 1822)
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| Image
contributors to this species: |
| Asian
Exports (1)
Paul Tapley
(3) Chris Ralph (1) |
| ScotCat
Sources: |
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| Other
Sources: |
  
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| Relevant
Information: |
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. 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. |
| Common
Name: |
Devil Catfish
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| Synonyms: |
Pimelodus bagarius,
Bagarius yarellii, Bagarius lica, Bagarius buchanani |
| Family: |
Sisoridaecipitidae |
| Distribution: |
Asia:
Ganges, Mekong and Chao Phraya basins. Reported from Salween,
Maeklong and Peninsular Thailand |
| Size:
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90cm. (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). |
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Family: Sisoridae
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Bagarius bagarius
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 Bagarius
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 Bagarius
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 Bagarius
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 Bagarius
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