AquaticRepublic.com - Silurus asotus (Siluridae) All Fishes

Stamp
Stamp
Stamp
From Seibold

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Silurus asotus** Linnaeus, 1758
Common Names	Namazu Amurmalle (Denmark), Chinese Catfish, Japanese Catfish
Type Locality	Asia.
Synonym(s)	Centranodon japonicus, Parasilurus asotus, Parasilurus asotus asotus, Parasilurus asotus longus, Parasilurus japonicus, Silurichthys basilewskii, Siluris imberbis, Silurus bedfordi, Silurus cinereus, Silurus dahuricus, Silurus dauuricus, Silurus japonicus, Silurus punctatus, Silurus spec, Silurus xanthosteus
Pronunciation	See loo russ - ass ott us
Etymology	From the Greek silouros which is the name of the fish.
Species Information
Size	1300mm or 51.2" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Elongated, cylindrical body. 2 pairs of barbels (mandibular and maxillary). Small dorsal fin, anal fin connected with caudal fin. Dark brown to greenish yellow-brown back, light yellow to yellowish white belly. Average adult size is around 300~500mm. Fry have a second pair of mandibular barbels that fall off spontaneously when the fish reach a length of 60-70 mm TL.
General Remarks	An important food fish. Can often be seen in holding tanks in restaurants in China. Also used in Chinese medicine. Just as Siluris glanis was the prototypical catfish in early Western civilization, S. asotus was the prototypical catfish in early Chinese civilization. Its original Chinese name "Nian", is now the root of the term ("Nianke") for the order Siluriformes and of the common name ("Nianyu") for all catfish.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Europe and Asia: Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu in Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, China, and Russia. China Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Japan Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Taiwan Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Mongolia Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Korea 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 2020.
pH	6.0 - 8.0
Temperature	5.0-26.0°C or 41-78.8°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters	A hardy fish that can survive and thrive in a wide variety of water conditions, notably including wide variations in temperature.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Carnivore. In the wild, eats smaller fish, crustaceans and insects. User data.
Compatibility	Not recommended as an aquarium fish due to its large adult size and propensity to eat other fish.
Breeding	Sexually mature at two years. Spawns in May through July. Eggs are slightly sticky, yellowish green or green and spherical in shape, measuring 1.1 - 1.2 mm in diameter.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Systema Naturae, Ed. X v. 1, pp 304.
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 2 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
Forum BBCode

	Look up S. asotus on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up S. asotus on Fishbase
	Look up S. asotus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up S. asotus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.7.35.78
Last Update	2025 Jan 02 01:36 (species record created: 2001 Apr 21 00:00)