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Hop to next section All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name Clarias platycephalus  Boulenger, 1902
Common Name
Type Locality Monsembé, Upper Congo.
Synonym(s) Clarias ekibondoi, Clarias varispinis
Pronunciation klar ee ass
Etymology Clarias: From the Greek chlaros, meaning lively; in reference to the ability of the fish to live for long periods out of water. 
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 376mm or 14.8" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification Clarias species are characterized by having an elongated body; a soft rayed dorsal fin extending to, or nearly to, the caudal fin base; a soft rayed anal fin extending from just behind the anus to the caudal fin base; pectoral fins each with a serrated anterior bony spine; head depressed, covered largely by firmly sutured, surface sculptured bony plates forming a protective helmet; four pairs of flagellate barbels (nasals, maxillaries, inner and outer mandibulars); air breathing organs derived from the 2nd and 4th epibranchials within a superbranchial chamber.
Sexing The genital papilla, which is to the right of the anus as you look at the fish with its head to the left, is elongated and pointed in males while it is round and relatively larger (and larger than the anus) in females. In ventral view especially, females are much broader in the body than males of equal age and rearing practices.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Africa: lower and central Congo basin. Trade restricted in Germany (Anl.3 BArtSchV). Also recorded from the Lower Ntem River Basin.
African Waters, Cameroon waters, Southern Cameroon Waters, Ntem (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Congo, Lower Congo (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Congo, Middle Congo (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2009.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Suggested Tankmates Large cyprinids (silver sharks, tinfoil or spanner barbs for example) or Central American cichlids.
Breeding Unreported in the aquarium.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Annales du Musee du Congo (Ser. Zoology) v. 2 (fasc. 2), pp 35, Pl. 10 (fig. 1).
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2020 Oct 28 16:55 (species record created: 2008 Jun 20 02:14)