AquaticRepublic.com - Bagrichthys hypselopterus (Bagridae) All Fishes

Sanggau Market, Western Borneo
Albino
Albino, close-up of head
Stamp

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Bagrichthys hypselopterus** (Bleeker, 1852)
Common Name	Emperor Lancer Catfish
Type Locality	Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia.
Synonym(s)	Bagrus hypselopterus
Pronunciation	bag RICK thiss - hip serl opp terr uss
Etymology	Bagrichthys: From bagrus, the name of a catfish genus frequently used to form generic names, and the Greek ichthys, meaning fish. From the Greek hypselos, meaning high and pterygion, meaning fin. In reference to the greatly elongate dorsal spine of this species.
Species Information
Size	400mm or 15.7" 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). First imports of this species began to show up around 2022 but are very rare. This species has the tallest dorsal fin of its congeners and is also the largest fully grown.
Sexing	Males have an elongate genital papilla and longer barbels.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Asia: Thailand to Indonesia. Pacific, Greater Sunda Island Rivers, Borneo Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Pacific, Greater Sunda Island Rivers, Sumatra 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	6.0 - 7.0
Husbandry Information
Feeding	In the wild, the fish are detritivorous. User data.
Breeding	Unreported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië v. 3 (no. 4), pp 588.
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 3 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
Forum BBCode

	Look up B. hypselopterus on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up B. hypselopterus on Fishbase
	Look up B. hypselopterus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up B. hypselopterus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.8.23.1004
Last Update	2025 May 19 11:42 (species record created: 2003 Feb 21 00:00)