AquaticRepublic.com - Belodontichthys truncatus (Siluridae) All Fishes

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Belodontichthys truncatus** Kottelat & Ng, 1999
Common Name
Type Locality	Chao Phraya River, flood-waters 17.5 kilometers north of Ayuthya, Maharaj Province, Thailand.
Pronunciation	Bee law dawn tick thees - trunk ah tuss
Etymology	From the Greek belos, meaning arrow, odontos, meaning tooth and ichthyos, meaning fish; in reference to the distinctive arrowhead-shaped teeth. The specific epithet comes from the Latin truncatus, meaning cut off; in reference to the short head of this species.
Species Information
Size	600mm or 23.6" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Distinguished from B. dinema in having a shorter pectoral fin, head and snout.
Sexing	Males are more slender and have strong serrations on the posterior edge of the pectoral spine (females lack these serrations).
General Remarks	Migrates upstream through the Khone Falls in the Mekong River in June-July with other silurids and enters the flooded forest in July-October, where it feeds heavily on cyprinids of the genus Henicorhynchus.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Asia: Chao Phraya and Mekong River drainages in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam. Mekong (click on these areas to find other species found there) Thailand Waters, Chao Praya (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 2011.
pH	5.6 - 7.0
Temperature	22.0-27.0°C or 71.6-80.6°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters	Clean water needed. Sensitive to bad water conditions.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Obligate piscivores. Does not seem to take any food other than live fish, which they snap up with sudden upward lunges. User data.
Furniture	Provide large open areas as this is an actively-swimming fish. Some vegetation for it to hide in during the day will be ideal. They are good leapers, so a tight-fitting, heavy cover for the tank is necessary.
Compatibility	Best kept alone, as it will eat any other tankmates able to fit its mouth.
Breeding	Not reported. Has been bred for fishery purposes in Thailand.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters v. 10 (no. 4), pp388, Fig. 1.
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 is but a single record of this fish being seen, view it.
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	Look up B. truncatus on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up B. truncatus on Fishbase
	Look up B. truncatus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up B. truncatus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.7.147.426
Last Update	2025 Jan 02 01:39 (species record created: 2001 Apr 21 00:00)