AquaticRepublic.com - Asterophysus batrachus (Auchenipteridae) All Fishes

Close-up of head
Close-up of extended mouth
Recently fed
Puffed up with water!
Adult with eggs
Video

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Asterophysus batrachus** Kner, 1858
Common Names	Gulper Catfish Ogre Catfish, Stormundet Rovmalle (Denmark)
Type Locality	Marabitanos, Brazil.
Pronunciation	Ass TERR oh fye suss - bat RACK uss
Etymology	Asterophysus: From the Greek aster, meaning star and physa, meaning bellows; in reference to the blind viliform processes around the periphery of the swimbladder characteristic of this genus.
Species Information
Size	250mm or 9.8" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	The trapdoor like 'salmonesque' lower jaw is this species best external / visual characteristic.
Sexing	The leading rays of the male's anal fin are fused to form a urinogenital organ used (at least in related genera) in internal fertilization of the female. This modification of the anal fin does not manifest itself until the male is approaching adulthood.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: Orinoco and Negro River basins. Amazon, Middle Amazon (Solimoes), Negro (click on these areas to find other species found there) Orinoco (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 2020.
pH	5.6 - 7.0
Temperature	24.0-29.0°C or 75.2-84.2°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters	A blackwater species.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	These fish will literally try and eat anything. Krill appears a real favourite, but all foods are accepted. The fish becomes more active during the day when not recently fed, feeding should be as with large pimelodids, less and less frequent with age. You would expect to feed an adult weekly. This may not be possible in tanks where the fish is kept with other species and so the fish should be fed smaller regular portions of food which may reduce its activity during the day. User data.
Furniture	The fish like to rest and hide in driftwood piles during the day but should be given at least 3 quarters of the aquarium as open swimming room for nocturnal prowling. Tall plants can also be used to coax the fish out during daylight feeding time in less stark surroundings. Choice of substrate is unimportant.
Compatibility	Obviously care is required in housing fish with this species. Fish large enough not to be eaten but non-predatory to the point they will not eat the Asterophysus.
Suggested Tankmates	Fish large enough not to be eaten (amazingly for this species, this means at least twice the size of the Asterophysus, larger is less risky) but non-predatory to the point they will not eat the Asterophysus. Larger characins, doradids and loricariids are probably the best bet.
Breeding	Unreported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe v. 26 (s. 373), pp 403 [33], Pl. 5 (figs. 13-15).
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 7 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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	Look up A. batrachus on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up A. batrachus on Fishbase
	Look up A. batrachus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up A. batrachus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.22.247.961
Last Update	2020 Sep 17 11:10 (species record created: 2002 Nov 11 00:00)