Giant Catfish

About

Found in the fast-flowing rivers of the Indian subcontinent, this enormous catfish, Bagarius bagarius, is one of the more taxonomically confused species in the freshwater hobby. The name has historically been applied to a much smaller fish from northern India and Indochina, but current thinking suggests the true species may be restricted to the Indian subcontinent and capable of reaching around two meters in length. Making it a genuinely massive predator by any standard. Physically, it belongs to a genus set apart from its relatives by a distinctive tooth arrangement in the lower jaw: several rows of closely packed conical teeth on the outside, with an inner row of fewer but considerably larger conical teeth, giving it real bite for a large-prey diet. The skin on the head and body is covered with elongated, roughened plaques rather than smooth scales. In the aquarium, this fish is best kept alone. Its size and predatory nature make tankmates a poor idea. Breeding has never been documented in captivity. Despite a beginner care rating in some references, the sheer adult size of this species means it is realistically suited only to public aquaria or keepers with very large, dedicated facilities. Most specimens in the trade are juveniles that will quickly outgrow typical home setups.