SCOTCAT.COM

your internet guide to all things catfish

Schilbe intermedius Rüppell, 1832

Image contributors to this species:

Hippocampus Bildarchiv (2) Frants Lehmann (3 Stamps) Karl Heinz Dau (1 Stamp) Reinhold Wawrzynski (9) Nathan Cook (1) Christian Bode (1)

ScotCat Sources:

Other Sources:

Relevant Information:

Description: Dorsal spines (total): 1 - 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5 - 6. Anal fin long, extending from vent almost to origin of caudal fin. Four pairs of short, circum-oral barbels. Silver-grey, somewhat darker above. Reported to be a pelagic species. Habitat: Occur mainly on shallow waters. Migrates to the surface at night. Rarely grow to lengths greater than 30 cm SL. Reproduction: Spawns throughout the year peaking once. Migrates into rivers in fairly compact schools during the rainy season to spawn in floodwater pools. Oviparous, eggs are unguarded. Aquarium Care: Large aquarium with tankmates not too small as they could become prey during night time activities. Will do better with conspecifics. Diet: Feeds on a wide range of invertebrates including terrestrial insects and whole or pieces of fish. Primarily piscivorous at 13-34 cm TL . In the aquarium it is not a problem as they will eat most aquarium fare. Etymology: The specific name intermedius: Latin or intermediate, described as intermediate in certain characters between S. uranoscopus and Siluranodon auritus (then placed in Schilbe).

Common Name:

Butterfish

Synonyms:

Schilbe mystus, S.senegallus, S. dispila, S. senegalensis, S. senegalensis fasciata, S. palmeri

Family:

Schilbeidae

Distribution:

Africa: Senegal, Gambia, Casamance, Corubal, Geba, Sassandra, Boubo, Bandama, Agnébi, Comoé, Tano, Pra, Volta, Mono, Ouémé, Ogun, Niger, Chad and Cross River basins. Africa: Nile River in Sudan. Reported from the Okavango Delta, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa. Type locality: Nile.

Size:

30.0cm. (12ins)

Temp:

23-26°C (73-79°F)

p.H.

6.5-7.2.

IUCN Red List

Schilbe intermedius has a wide distribution, with no known major widespread threats. It is therefore listed as Least Concern (IUCN 2020).

Reference:

Diouf, K., Geelhand, D. & FishBase team RMCA. 2020. Schilbe intermedius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2008. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (11/2008).
ScotCat Factsheet no. 199. Jan. 2013.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.

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

Schilbe intermedius

Schilbe intermedius
Stamp

Schilbe intermedius
Stamp

Schilbe intermedius

Schilbe intermedius
Albino

Schilbe intermedius
Albino & natural colour 20cm.

Schilbe intermedius

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.

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.