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Scientific Name Bagrichthys obscurus  Ng, 1999
Common Name
Type Locality Lam Chi, 1.5 kilometers below highway 23 bridge, 4 kilometers west of Selaphum, Roi Et Province, Thailand.
Pronunciation bag RICK thiss - orb skew russ
Etymology Bagrichthys: From bagrus, the name of a catfish genus frequently used to form generic names, and the Greek ichthys, meaning fish. From the Latin obscurus, meaning indistinct, in reference to the lack of pale patches on this species.
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 249mm 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).

A relatively small and narrow mouth opening; extremely reduced oral dentition; relatively short dorsal-fin spine with 15 or fewer serrae; both inner and outer mandibular barbels crenulated; a slender body (body depth at anus 15.1-18.4% SL; depth of caudal peduncle 6.7-8.3% SL); a short adipose fin base (length 43.3-48.9% SL); the genital papilla in males touching the base of the first anal-fin ray; a uniformly brown body without both a pale midlateral stripe and pale blotches on the sides of the body.
Sexing Males have a prominent genital papilla in front of the anal fin and longer barbels.
General Remarks Occurs in large muddy rivers. Feeds on small fishes, benthic invertebrates and large amounts of plant detritus.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Asia: Chao Phraya, Bang Pakong and Mekong drainages in Indochina.
Thailand Waters, Chao Praya (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Mekong (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Thailand Waters, Bang Pakong (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 2011.
pH 5.4 - 7.0
Temperature 22.0-28.0°C or 71.6-82.4°F (Show species within this range)
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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 accessed 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. Conspecifics may be aggressively territorial.
Breeding Not reported. Spawns at the beginning of the rainy season and utilizes the flooded forests along the river edge. Juveniles appear in August.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Revista de Biología Tropical v. 47 (no. 3), pp 546, Figs. 1-2.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2020 Sep 28 06:06 (species record created: 2003 Jun 19 00:00)