AquaticRepublic.com - Bagrichthys macracanthus (Bagridae) All Fishes

Adult female
Close-up of head
Ventral view
Male showing genital papillae
Juvenile showing blotchy stress colouration
Close-up of caudal area
Overexposed to show near invisible banding pattern
Adult female
Male showing genital papillae (white)
Male showing genital papillae (white)
Close-up of mouth
Male
Dorsal view of adult female
Juvenile showing blotchy stress colouration
Adult female

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Bagrichthys macracanthus** (Bleeker, 1854)
Common Names	Black Lancer Humped Stinging Catfish
Type Locality	East Sumatra, at the confluence of Lamatang and Enim rivers, Indonesia.
Synonym(s)	Bagroides macracanthus, Leiocassis macracanthus
Pronunciation	bag RICK thiss - mak rah KAN thuss
Etymology	Bagrichthys: From bagrus, the name of a catfish genus frequently used to form generic names, and the Greek ichthys, meaning fish.
Species Information
Size	250mm or 9.8" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Members of the highly specialized and unusually-shaped bagrid catfish genus Bagrichthys Bleeker, 1858, live in large muddy rivers throughout Southeast Asia and are characterised by their elongate and laterally compressed caudal peduncle, the dorsally-directed serrations on the posterior edge of the dorsal-fin spine, gill membranes united but free from the isthmus, and a long adipose fin without a free posterior margin (Roberts, 1989). The other three species of Bagrichthys do not match the fish pictured here. B. hypselopterus from Sumatra and Borneo grows too large (TL 400mm = 16'') and even at a smaller size (TL 234mm = 9'') has a much steeper predorsal profile. The ''lance'' dorsal fin is long enough to reach the base of the caudal fin and exhibits a flowing extension. If the fish pictured here grew larger (and taking into account the change of the fishes shape from juvenile to that pictured here) I would fully accept that this is our fish, but it appears to have stopped developing at its current size. B. macropterus and B. micranodus share a tan and cream colouration and lack such a striking dorsal fin, although the latter displays the characteristic chalk-line.
Sexing	Males genital papillae is visible. Pictures in various hobbyist books appear to show this even on quite young fish. Females do not have this feature.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Asia: Thailand to Indonesia. Pacific, Greater Sunda Island Rivers (click on these areas to find other species found there) Thailand Waters, Peninsular Thailand Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2018.
pH	5.5 - 7.0
Temperature	24.0-28.0°C or 75.2-82.4°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters	No more than a gentle current.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Readily accepts prepared foods. Frozen brineshrimp appears to produce the most activity from the fish and frozen bloodworm is also relished. User data.
Furniture	The fish loves tangles of plants which it carefully inspects for morsels of food after lights out. A suitably sized pipe or cave is required for this fish as it can quite easily damage itself in panic if this is not provided and easily entered and left by the fish. Heater elements should be guarded or positioned so that they are not used for refuge - this fish is prone to heater burns.
Compatibility	A timid fish that does well in a sizeable aquarium inhabited by smaller fish. Although a night-time prowler, even small fish are safe enough.
Suggested Tankmates	Shoals of barbs and rasboras are ideal and their ceaseless activity counters this fishes extreme shyness. The presence of larger shoals of fish appears to give the black lancer more confidence than it would have in, for example, a catfish only aquarium. In addition, the other fishes increased activity at feeding time often prompts the lancer to leave its lair in the quest for food. Adult lancers require a lot of room if to be kept together. I have a pair that lightly quarrel (nipped fins, the odd scratch) in a 48''x30''x30'' aquarium!
Breeding	Unknown.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië v. 7 (no. 1), pp 88.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 6 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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	Look up B. macracanthus on PlanetCatfish.com
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	Look up B. macracanthus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up B. macracanthus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.8.23.36
Last Update	2025 Jan 01 11:55 (species record created: 2001 Apr 13 00:00)