AquaticRepublic.com - Channallabes apus (Clariidae) All Fishes

Close-up of head
Albino
Video showing terrestrial feeding behavior. A small piece of fish is presented on the terrestrial section of the aquarium.
Video (slow-motion) from a high-speed recording zoomed in on the moment of prey capture / feeding terrestrially on a piece of fish.
Close-up of tail
Close-up of head
60 cm plus
63 cm

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Channallabes apus** (Günther, 1873)
Common Names	Eel Catfish Lemmeløs ålemalle (Denmark)
Type Locality	Interior of Ambriz, Angola.
Synonym(s)	Clariallabes apus, Gymnallabes apus
Pronunciation	cha nal ah bez - ah pess
Etymology	Channallabes: From the Greek, channe, meaning anchovy and allabes, the name of a Nilotic fish (a kind of lamprey); in reference to the shape of the fish. From the Greek prefix a- meaning without and pous, meaning foot; in reference to the lack of pelvic fins.
Species Information
Size	327mm or 12.9" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Distinguished by the extremely elongate body, reduced cranial shield, confluent median fins, small eyes and absence of pelvic fins.
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. It may be hard to see with the naked eye.
General Remarks	Recent research has documented this species' ability to feed terrestially (videos above). The catfish's neck is especially flexible, with specialized vertebrae that allow it to hold its head up out of the water without using fins. The fish's diet provided the scientists with the first clue to its remarkable behaviour - it mainly eats beetles which are found on land. The researchers speculate that a similar feeding strategy could have been used by the first vertebrates to emerge from the oceans. The fish is known to burrow into the substrate and has been caught by hook and line in waterlogged areas adjacent to rivers and swamps simply by digging a hole and fishing in the resulting pool.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Africa: Angola to Congo River Basin. African Waters, Congo (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 2009.
pH	5.8 - 7.0
Temperature	22.0-27.0°C or 71.6-80.6°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters	Sensitive to bad water; this species appears particularly susceptible to bacterial / parasitic infections.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Will take all manner of pelleted food, as well as frozen/live food (the latter being preferred). User data.
Furniture	Provide plenty of driftwood for the fish to hide. Ensure that the tank cover is tight-fitting/weighed down, they are capable of climbing out.
Compatibility	A peaceful fish that is best suited for the West African biotope tank. Ideal tankmates include mid-sized African barbs, tetras, and cichlids.
Breeding	Not reported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Annals and Magazine of Natural History (Series 4) v. 12 (no. 68) (art. 19), pp 142.
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 C. apus on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up C. apus on Fishbase
	Look up C. apus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up C. apus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.6.176.631
Last Update	2025 Jan 01 11:58 (species record created: 2001 Jun 09 00:00)