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Scientific Name Clarias leiacanthus  Bleeker, 1851
Common Name Forest Walking Catfish
Type Locality Sambas, Kaslimantan, western Borneo, Indonesia.
Pronunciation klar ee ass - lay ah kan thuss
Etymology Clarias: From the Greek chlaros, meaning lively; in reference to the ability of the fish to live for long periods out of water. The specific epithet comes from the Greek leios, meaning smooth and akanthus, meaning spine. In reference to the smooth pectoral spine of this species.
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 330mm or 13" 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.

Can be distinguished from congeners in the region by a combination of: smooth pectoral spine, 68-78 dorsal-fin rays, 58-64 anal-fin rays, a moderately broad supraoccipital process, and a distinct pattern of white spots on the sides of the body.
Sexing Males have an elongate genital papilla.
General Remarks This species is found in forested, more pristine habitats than the sympatric C. batrachus, which is usually found in more open, disturbed habitats.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Asia: Sumatra and Borneo. Reported from Thailand.
Pacific, Greater Sunda Island Rivers (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Singapore waters (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 2018.
pH 4.0 - 7.6
Temperature 20.0-28.0°C or 68-82.4°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters Zaid et al. (2018; Malayan Nature Journal, 70(4), 367-371) collected this species in a small stream with clear water flowing at slow to medium water currents. Water parameters were pH 6.5-6.6, DO 7.7-8.5 mg/l, Conductivity 27.2-28.2 μS/cm, and TDS 17.4-18.4 mg/L.
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Feeding Anything; this fish is totally omnivorous and will gorge itself on most offerings. User data.
Furniture Very well rooted plants and large structures that provide some shade. Appropriately sized clay pipes seem to provide a readily accepted, if less cosmetically pleasing, hideaway for these fish.
Compatibility Keep with large robust fish; anything small enough will be eaten.
Suggested Tankmates Large cyprinids (silver sharks, tinfoil or spanner barbs for example) or Central American cichlids.
Breeding Not reported.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië v. 2 (no. 3), pp 430.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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Last Update 2020 Sep 19 05:33 (species record created: 2004 Mar 27 00:00)