Close-up of head
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At water surface
Underwater: Lake Malawi
 All Fishes Data Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) |
| Common Names | Sharptooth Catfish Afrikansk ålemalle (Denmark), Barbel, North African Catfish, Skerptandbaber |
| Type Locality | Vaal River, at Smidtsdrift, above confluence with Riet River, Cape Province, South Africa (28°42'10''S, 24°04'29''E). |
| Synonym(s) | Clarias capensis, Clarias depressus, Clarias guentheri, Clarias lazera, Clarias longiceps, Clarias macracanthus, Clarias malaris, Clarias microhthalmus, Clarias microphthalmus, Clarias micropthalmus, Clarias moorii, Clarias mossambicus, Clarias muelleri, Clarias notozygurus, Clarias orontis, Clarias robecchii, Clarias smithii, Clarias syriacus, Clarias tsanensis, Clarias vinciguerrae, Clarias xenodon, Silurus gariepinus |
| 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. |
| Species Information | |
| Size | 1700mm or 66.9" 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. 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. 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. |
| Habitat Information | |
| Distribution | Africa & Asia African Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Least Concern , a distribution map is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2018. |
| pH | 5.6 - 8.0 |
| Other Parameters | Max Salinity: 10 mg/l. |
| Husbandry Information | |
| Suggested Tankmates | Large cyprinids (silver sharks, tinfoil or spanner barbs for example) or Central American cichlids. |
| Breeding Reports | There is no breeding report. |
| Further Information | |
| Reference | Travels in the interior of southern Africa. 2 vols., pp 425, Fig. on p. 445. |
| 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 5 records of this fish being seen, view them all. |
| More Resources | |
| Forum BBCode | |
 | Look up C. gariepinus on PlanetCatfish.com |
 | Look up C. gariepinus on Fishbase |
 | Look up C. gariepinus on Encyclopedia of Life |
 | Look up C. gariepinus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| LFS label creator ARN ref:1.6.8.512 | |
| Last Update | Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am (Species record created: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am) |