Shark catfish breeding. Shark catfish (Pangasius)

Aquarists strive to ensure that domestic aquatic inhabitants are as interesting and exotic as possible, and that the atmosphere of the underwater world itself becomes more and more reminiscent of the natural one. The effect is aimed at ensuring that the aquarium leaves an unforgettable impression of its interior and its inhabitants. And one of these can safely include pangasius - shark catfish, or as they are also called high-finned shark catfish (Pangasius sanitwongsei or Pangasius beani). They are also called challenger or Siamese shark catfish (Pangasius sutchi). Yes, this dwarf shark - pangasius, will not leave anyone indifferent, especially since it reaches an impressive size even by aquarium standards. The fish is not yet a katran, but it is no longer a catfish, which is very clearly visible in the photo.

General description of the fish

Such specimens are not found in our latitudes and depths. These are “foreigners”, originally from Southeast Asia. There, shark catfish have their own history and for the peoples of the east they are a commercial fish. In nature, it reaches sizes of up to one and a half meters and can weigh up to 100 kg. Delicacies are prepared from it in sushi bars. The nature of the existence of catfish in our surroundings is different. Here she is destined for the fate of an ornamental fish and life in aquariums.

Since pangasius is very reminiscent of a sea predator, it is happily kept by aquarists who love everything unusual and exotic. The fish requires a special aquarium so that the 50-70 centimeter inhabitant has room to turn around. After all, by nature, shark catfish is a very active fish. Look at her photo or video, and you will understand that the restless shark catfish is in constant motion and, characteristically, in a school. Yes, this is a schooling fish, and without its relatives it will be very uncomfortable. Young catfish are colored silver-gray, with dark horizontal stripes located on the sides.

How to properly keep a decorative shark

Those who are interested in aquariums should know that shark catfish, due to their fussiness and timidity, must be kept in special conditions. Reaching a length of more than half a meter, the fish must live in spacious aquariums, larger in length than in width and with a volume of at least 400 liters. The scenery is for spectators only, i.e. compact, not throughout the aquarium. And for aquatic pets there is as much space as possible; they need space and freedom of movement. Large adult specimens have to be kept in public aquariums, which are placed in large rooms, and their length is much larger than a home aquarium, as well as their volume, which reaches several thousand liters. Young aquarium catfish can live in containers over a meter long, but the "dwarf shark" grows quickly and they will need a new "home" very soon.

Note to fish holders: shark catfish can make sudden movements and throws, and in order to avoid injury, it is necessary to remove all sharp objects.

Feeding shark catfish

The freshwater shark, as Siamese catfish are called, lives up to its name because, like sea sharks, it is not picky about food and is very voracious. Therefore, it is best to feed them:

bloodworm;
tubifex;
chopped veal;
frozen and live fish;
beef heart.

All food should have a lot of protein. Dry food is not very suitable for these fish, and it also heavily pollutes the water in the aquarium. There is a peculiarity of pangasius: they are omnivores, but they can only catch and eat food that is not on the surface or at the bottom of the aquarium, but in the water column, where they like to be. In this regard, it is worth taking care that uneaten food does not accumulate at the bottom of the container, and to do this, breed the type of fish that is capable of picking up leftover food from the bottom. Sometimes pangasius refuse to eat due to the bright lighting of the container. It would be appropriate to dim the lighting to normalize the fish's behavior and food intake. Old ornamental sharks lose their teeth and begin to eat plant foods:

soft lettuce leaves;
chopped zucchini;
grated cucumbers;
porridge;
crushed boiled potatoes.

A separate line worth noting is the temperature and salt regime in the aquarium. The optimal water temperature was determined - from room temperature to 27C. You should monitor hardness and acidity, this is also determined. Weekly 1/3 of the water must be renewed. Be sure to saturate the water with oxygen. Without these conditions, the shark catfish will not be able to feel comfortable in the aquarium.

How catfish behave with their aquarium mates

Shark catfish live in schools; young individuals especially like to frolic in schools. The “dwarf shark” is quite peaceful and does not attack neighbors of another species, unless of course they are small fish, which the shark catfish easily mistakes for food. He is timid, despite his size, and for some reason he can suddenly and sharply turn around, hitting the walls of the aquarium or trying to jump out, which is often accompanied by injury. Various large barbs, knifefish, labeos, cichlids, and commensurate polypteruses are quite suitable for companionship with an aquarium micro-shark. With regular and nutritious food, you can add iris, gourami, etc. to pangasius.

The behavior of catfish is very spontaneous, and watching them brings a lot of pleasure. Firstly, aquarium catfish really resemble sharks. And secondly, they scurry around in the foreground all the time, as if waiting for the owner. And when a person approaches, they are likely to react to him.

Is captive breeding possible?

Experienced aquarists notice a certain sentimentality behind aquarium catfish, because catfish can pretend to “faint” when frightened. They freeze in place or in a corner of the aquarium. To avoid surprises you should:

Keep the lighting low-key.
Maintain ideal temperature and salt conditions.

You should not dramatize when aquarium catfish, when they find themselves in a new environment, suddenly faint or pretend to be dead. This will last no more than half an hour. Then, having discovered that the catfish are not in danger, they begin to settle in and will soon get used to their new “home”.

At home, shark catfish do not reproduce. Pangasius is imported from its homeland.
If you engage in fish breeding, then only in appropriate aquariums, under a special regime. Egg deposition is possible in very dense thickets. After 2 days, the fry are hatched and fed with zooplankton. Adult aquarium fish must be fed very nutritiously so that they do not eat the young ones. Pangasius spawns from early summer to late autumn. You should be attentive to the health of your pets and not overfeed, because... this leads to obesity and disease - you can even implement fasting for a couple of days a week. It is also necessary to monitor the composition of the water. It is also worth noting that ulcers and poisoning occur in catfish. Ulcers are treated with potassium permanganate or brilliant green, and in case of poisoning, a protein diet or fasting is prescribed.

Pangasius (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) was described in 1878, but this catfish has been familiar to people for many hundreds of years. In Southeast Asia it is an important commercial fish. Catfish comes from the Mekong River basin, as well as the Chao Phraya River, and is distributed mainly in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Fish have also been artificially bred in other rivers of Southeast Asia for commercial purposes. Young fish gather in schools and are found in large numbers at the mouths of large rivers. In the wild, they feed on fish, shrimp and various crustaceans, insect larvae, fruits and other vegetation.
Shark catfish are widely available in the retail trade, especially in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand or Laos, where the catfish is used as an important food source. In Thailand it is also popular among aquarists; the European and American markets sell young specimens that do not grow to their maximum size in an aquarium.

Requirements and conditions:

Aquarium volume - from 400 l.
Temperature - 22–26°C
pH value - 6.5 - 7.5
Water hardness - from very soft to medium hardness (2–15 dH)
Substrate type - any
Lighting - moderate
Brackish water - no
Water movement - moderate

Fish parameters:

Size - 100 cm.
Food - any food
Life expectancy - up to 20 years

Description

An adult reaches a length of a meter (100 cm), but in an aquarium it may be less; in the wild, catfish over 130 cm are not uncommon, and some subspecies of Pangasius grow more than 3 meters. The catfish, with its body shape, resembles a sea shark, has a laterally compressed body and a large caudal fin, a short fin on the back with one or two spines, and there are also spines on the pectoral fins. Unlike other catfish, the fish does not have bony protective plates on the skin or other “armor”, which makes it easily damaged, leaving the fish susceptible to infection. The body color is silvery with two distinct dark stripes along the body, one along the lateral line, the other below. With age, the color becomes more uniform - dark gray.
There are several color variations, in particular the albino Pangasius; you can also find on sale an artificially bred form of fish with a large short body.

Nutrition

The rainbow catfish is an omnivorous fish; if possible, it can catch small fish. As the fish ages, it loses its teeth and becomes a vegetarian. In a home aquarium, it will be a pleasure to eat all types of live, meat and plant products, as well as dry industrial food (pellets, flakes, etc.). To maintain a good balance, it is necessary to provide high-quality feed two to three times a day, in an amount that the catfish can consume within 5-10 minutes. Earthworms, brine shrimp, and crickets, both live and frozen, can be an excellent addition to food.

Shark catfish are unpretentious to the chemical composition of the water, but prefer a neutral pH level, so if the aquarium is not equipped with a sufficiently efficient filter, it is recommended to replace 25% of the water in the aquarium on a weekly basis.
Due to its size, the fish requires a spacious aquarium of at least 400 liters with space for swimming. The design should resemble natural habitats - driftwood, grottoes or caves made of river rocks. The structures should not rise too much above the bottom of the aquarium so as not to interfere with swimming, since the fish prefers the middle layers of water. Juveniles, on the contrary, require shelter, hiding under snags.
The fish is prone to jumping out of the aquarium - a lid is required; in addition, due to its size, the catfish can damage internal equipment (filter, heater, etc.), care should be taken to securely fasten them. Large fish produce a large amount of waste, so productive filters will greatly simplify fish keeping, and low plants with a strong root system will minimize the load on the biological filter.

Social behavior

Juveniles prefer to stay in a school; with age, catfish become more and more isolated, but the need for the company of their own kind remains, so it is recommended to keep 3-4 fish in the aquarium. An important feature is that the fish has poor eyesight and when frightened, it begins to rush around the aquarium, colliding with other fish, against the glass, and the design of the aquarium. It is not uncommon for a catfish to be severely injured in a collision. Peaceful fish are compatible with other large species, but for small species, catfish pose a direct danger.

Breeding/reproduction

In adulthood, males and females are practically indistinguishable, only at a young age in females dark stripes appear more clearly in color. Breeding is not possible in home aquariums; the fish is a migratory species. During spawning (late spring early summer), catfish travel long distances upstream; such conditions cannot be replicated in aquariums. Catfish are bred in large ponds in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand and Singapore, or the young are caught in the wild.

Diseases

Peculiarities

Aquarium at least 400 liters
Large fish size
Delicate skin, easily injured

Content:

Pangasius is a very interesting freshwater fish. The catfish lives in the waters of Asia (its habitat is in the southeast), and is also found in the Chao Phraya and Mekong rivers and Lake Tonle Sap. In some countries, this creature is bred for commercial purposes, and is also one of the exotic dishes on restaurant menus.

Pangasius has fins whose color ranges from dark gray to black. In total, pangasius has six fin-rays. Adult pangasius individuals are characterized by a gray color, while young pangasius is distinguished by two black stripes. The mouth and abdomen have a silvery tint. Pangasius also has a middle anal fin marked with dark stripes, and large gill plates in pangasius alternate with relatively small plates. Females are somewhat larger than males and are also paler in color.

Characteristic features: flattened head, fairly large mouth, two pairs of mustaches, large eyes. Externally, pangasius looks almost like a shark, which is why it is also called shark catfish. The dorsal fin is shark-shaped, the caudal fin is two-lobed. The anal fin is quite long.

Types of fish

Pangasius aquarium is represented by only two species: one shark catfish has low fins, the second catfish has high fins. Because of this, it is not particularly difficult to distinguish the varieties of pangasius from each other, since the difference lies only in the fins. The differences between the species are noticeable even in the fry (note that the fry of pangasius grows up to 15-20 cm). In addition to the features associated with the fins, the high-finned pangasius is characterized by a more solid coloration. Pangasius, with low fins, looks different - it is a fish with a pair of light stripes on the sides.

But perhaps the most noticeable difference that distinguishes one species of pangasius from another is the mouth. Pangasius with low fins has a small mouth. For this reason, this pangasius is a very peaceful aquarium fish. If you come across a pangasius with high fins, then keep in mind that this fish has a large mouth, therefore, it is better not to put other fish in the same aquarium with such an underwater inhabitant: they simply will not survive there.

Features of behavior

Shark catfish, or pangasius, is a cautious and timid fish. And if any shocks occur (for example, in the places where the fish are usually found, the habitat changes due to external influences; either the shark moves to another aquarium, or neighbors move in), then the pangasius simply freezes. The pangasius catfish maintains this immobility for a certain period of time (relatively short). Sometimes in this position the pangasius even looks like a dead one. But as soon as the fish completely gets used to the situation, the following is observed: the shark catfish continues to lead its usual, rather active lifestyle.

We have already noted that pangasius, which has low fins, is quite peaceful. Pangasius accepts labeo, barbs, rainbowfish and some other fish as neighbors. It’s just that when selecting neighbors, it is important to proceed from the fact that the pangasius is not too large for them. Otherwise, any neighboring fish may suffer in a conflict, because the pangasius catfish in question carries a potential danger.

Please note that the underwater inhabitant in question is susceptible to various types of poisoning, as well as peptic ulcers. However, this can be successfully combated. Thus, for ulcers, cauterization with malachite green potassium or crystals of potassium permanganate should be recommended. After such cauterization, you need to place the aquarium inhabitants in a brackish solution (prepared at the rate of about a gram of table salt per liter of water) for one week. As for poisoning, if it occurs, it is necessary to organize daily fasting and a subsequent protein diet.

The content of pangasius of one and the second species in the aquarium is not fundamentally different. So, pangasius prefers that the water temperature for living in the aquarium in any case should not be more than 27 degrees, the optimal option is 25-26 degrees. Acceptable water hardness is from 2 to 15 degrees, and the acidity that pangasius accepts in an aquarium is from 6.5 to 8.0.

It is very important that the water containing pangasius is constantly filtered. Pangasius also needs a plentiful supply of air.

These underwater inhabitants require a sufficient amount of space, which will be free from unnecessary decorations. Then the inhabitants of the underwater world will be able to swim freely. It is very important that the container does not contain any kind of elements with sharp edges. The fact is that pangasius sometimes makes sudden movements, and therefore can seriously injure its body.

In general, the shark catfish loves space, and therefore the pangasius swims very briskly throughout the entire area of the aquarium.

As for the proper volume of water in the aquarium, this should be based on the number of individuals and their size. So, for the high-finned pangasius, which is quite large, solitary living is quite comfortable. Pangasius, with its low fins, is essentially a schooling fish.

In any case, it is important to cover the aquarium with a lid so that the pangasius does not jump out during one of its scares.

When feeding, it is very important not to overfeed the pangasius. It is even useful if once a week the pangasius does not eat at all for the entire day. But keep in mind that this small shark is a very voracious fish, and therefore, due to inexperience, it is sometimes fed too much. The diet that pangasius eats is based on low-fat fish, squid, and dry food. As a rule, such a shark eats from the surface. The low-finned pangasius also collects food from the bottom, but for the high-finned pangasius this behavior is practically uncharacteristic, so it will need to select good helper neighbors who prefer to rummage in the ground.

If we talk about specific food, it could be: bloodworms, tubifex, lean fish (as already noted; it can be given both frozen and live), squid (which was also noted), chopped veal, beef heart are suitable.

A shark in an aquarium is a delightful and irresistible sight, a natural, mesmerizing beauty, with its entire appearance causing incredible delight. Seeing this, you will get an incredible amazing feeling and a lot of unforgettable impressions. An aquarium with such exotic fish will make your home more comfortable, and your guests will be in constant delight.

Siamese pangasius or shark catfish has been known for many hundreds of years, but you can see it at home relatively recently. The fish looks like a mini shark, but is peaceful in nature.

Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (lat.) - refers to a species of ray-finned fish of the Pangasiidae family, the order of catfishes. The first mentions are traced back to 1800. Natural habitat is freshwater. The largest populations are often found in the waters of the Mekong and Chao Phraya rivers, with smaller numbers in the rivers of Thailand, Southeast Asia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Tonle Sap Lake.

In nature, it reaches a length of 130 cm and a weight of 44 kg. Freshwater shark has been fished for many centuries; its fillets are used in the preparation of many exotic dishes and for sale for export. The size of some species can reach up to 2.5 m.

Sharks feel great in an aquarium if all favorable conditions are created. Externally they are very similar to a predatory shark. The skin on the body of an aquarium shark is thin and delicate, and does not have bony scales. The fins are dark gray or black. The dorsal fin has six branched rays shaped like a triangle. The caudal fin is two-lobed, with an elongated anal fin extending from it. The body color of a young shark is silver, but darkens over time; there are two oblong stripes along the lateral line, which disappear as the fish matures. The head is flattened, large eyes, two pairs of mustaches. Large mouth with sharp teeth, the lower part and peritoneum are silvery. The body size is from 15 cm to 50 cm in aquariums. Life expectancy is 10–15 years or longer.

The most popular types of aquarium sharks

Pangasianodon hypophthalmus differ not only in appearance from each other, but also in taste preferences, size, habits and character. The most common types of highly finned pangasius:

Dwarf sharks are small, up to 25 cm. They are a viviparous species, produce offspring of up to 10 sharks, the size reaches up to 6 cm. Aquarists consider them the most popular among decorative aquarium sharks. They love warm water. They have sharp teeth. They love to eat cephalopods. The shark has luminescent organs that glow on the lower and lateral fins and the lower part of the abdomen. With good maintenance, life expectancy is up to 10 years.
The pennant, freshwater river shark or shark catfish, is the fish that has the greatest external resemblance to the predator. In the natural environment it can reach up to 1.5 m, in domestic ones no more than 60 cm. It has interesting behavior, is very timid and, when frightened, pretends to be dead, but after 20–30 minutes everything returns to normal. It is not recommended to tease; when irritated, it hits the walls of the aquarium, which can cause damage to itself.
The black shark is beautiful and graceful. Gluttonous, if it feels that it is not being fed enough, it periodically makes attempts to attack its neighbor in order to feast on it. If something is wrong in the kingdom, she immediately becomes lighter in color. Signaling the owner to find out the reasons why she doesn’t like it. The black bicolor shark is of fantastic beauty, with velvety black skin and a bright red tail. She has an aggressive and capricious character.
The Colombian shark catfish or silver shark is a unique fish that has echolocation, this is a way of communicating with relatives in turbid water. The upper fins are poisonous, but the poison is not fatal.

Colombian shark catfish

It is considered fashionable to keep freshwater sharks in aquariums today. When making such a decision, a number of mandatory requirements for keeping sharks must be met.

Sharks grow quickly and can reach more than 60 cm in some cases, but this depends on the conditions of detention. For a comfortable stay, the size of the aquarium should be with a top lid, with a volume of at least 350 liters, and be prepared to increase it in the future. There are also species that live exclusively in flocks and require a volume of 1200 liters or more.

To decorate the shark kingdom, place non-sharp large pebbles, beautiful driftwood, and all kinds of shelters. At the bottom there is sand or fine, non-sharp gravel, plants with a well-developed root system are planted around the side walls, or in clay pots. All sharp and prickly objects are excluded; the shark can injure the skin.

The optimal water temperature is 22 to 28 °C, water hardness is from 2 to 20, pH 6.5 to 8.0. Measure nitrate and ammonia levels. Change water up to 40% of the total volume every week. Aquarium sharks do not tolerate dirty water well, so it is necessary to install good filtration. Create a good flow using a pump. It should be borne in mind that pangasius shark catfish and other small aquarium fish do not get along together. Lighting should be moderate.

Feeding

The shark catfish is quite voracious; the aquarium species is not particularly picky about food; it eats everything it finds. For its vital functions it requires a lot of protein and carbohydrates, the shark is constantly on the move, this requires a lot of energy. Consumes food of plant and animal origin.

As pets get older, their teeth fall out and they become vegetarians. Feed 2-3 times a day, duration of administration is about 5 minutes.

The diet should be balanced and varied.

Pangasius catfish is a lover of lean fish, shrimp, squid, insects, and worms.
Feed with chopped or grated cucumbers, cabbage, zucchini, and potatoes.
It’s also good to eat fruit in small pieces.
Prefers various cereals.
They love to eat specially raised live fish.

But always remember that it is strictly forbidden to overfeed, the consequences of which will lead to obesity and death. Various feeds can be purchased in specialized stores.

Shark catfish compatibility

Pangasianodon hypophthalmus are completely non-aggressive and are well compatible with other aquarium inhabitants of the same size. In their natural environment they live in large flocks. It is not recommended to keep it with smaller fish, because Pangasius shark considers small fish exclusively as food.

Shark catfish has good compatibility with other fish; the following are suitable for it:

Cichlids.
Large and bream-like barbs.
Kalamoikhty.
Labeo.
Proportional polypterus.
Knife fish.
Gourami and others.

It should be taken into account that sharks live in the middle column of water, so you should have a neighbor who lives in the lower part.

Breeding

It is almost impossible to distinguish young individuals by gender. Sexual maturity of a shark occurs at the age of four years, while the freshwater female is lighter and much more massive than the male. Breeding aquarium fish at home is problematic and almost impossible. In Asia, shark catfish farming is done in lakes or water containers.

In the natural environment, adult fish go to spawn from July to November, moving upstream, spawning in underwater thickets, laying up to 100 thousand eggs. The fry appear after 2–4 days, after which Pangasianodon hypophthalmus return to their usual environment.

Shark catfish diseases

The first causes of shark disease are due to poor care, improper feeding and non-compliance with water standards or the size of the aquarium. Before you begin treating fish, it is necessary to correctly diagnose the disease and identify the causes of its occurrence.

The most common diseases:

Pangasius in an aquarium can often damage itself by hitting the walls or being damaged by decorative objects. Subsequently, ulcers may appear on the skin of the decorative shark; the wound must be treated with potassium permanganate or brilliant green.
In case of poisoning, treatment will be fasting or a protein diet.
Oxygen starvation. Pangasius aquarium is located at the surface of the water, the catfish often swallows air. Urgently increase aeration, reduce temperatures, increase flow rate using a filter.
Fin rot. Rotting fins most often occurs due to the appearance of bacteria or a consequence of the bite of another fish.
Dropsy or bloating. Improve nutrition and water quality.
Ichthyophthiriasis or white spots - bad water.
Fungal disease or fish mold is white growths that look like mold. Dirty water.

Almost all fish diseases are related to water quality, so be careful. If you notice any changes, take action immediately.

Follow the standards for care and maintenance and you will be able to avoid many problems, and your Pangasianodon hypophthalmus will always be irresistible and attract your attention.

The shark aquarium must be equipped with everything necessary.
Don't hand feed.
Wear gloves when cleaning.
When adding a new individual to the aquarium, keep it separately for a while to make sure it is healthy.
It is advisable to keep sick fish separately during the treatment period until complete recovery.
Purchase a test kit to measure water quality.
Clean the filter more often.

Remember that the responsibility for the life of this graceful fish, which directly depends on you.

Conclusion

A shark aquarium is an amazing underwater world that has strong magnetism. You can watch its inhabitant for hours; this is a kind of therapy that relieves stress and eliminates the fatigue accumulated during a hard day at work.

Shark catfish is a very active fish with a torpedo-shaped body, a slightly flattened head with large coal-black moving eyes. The resemblance of pangasius to a small shark is striking.

Adult fish are dark in color, only the belly is silvery. Young catfish have three or four gray stripes along their bodies; at this age, the fish are brighter and silvery.

What to feed pangasius

Pangasius are very voracious, eating everything that fits into their mouth. Insect larvae, worms, scraped meat, fish, shrimp, plant foods, many types of cereals (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal), boiled potatoes and even high-quality cat food - this is not a complete list of possible food for this catfish. Such a catfish will never be full, so the main thing is not to overfeed it and leave one day a week as a fasting day.

Pangasius aquarium catfish is susceptible to ulcerative diseases and poisoning. For ulcers, it is recommended to use cauterization with crystals of potassium permanganate or malachite green and then keeping the fish in a brackish solution (up to 1 g of table salt per 1 liter of water) for a week. The best remedy for poisoning is daily fasting followed by a protein diet.

In nature, pangasius catfish grows up to 1.5 meters in length. In spacious aquariums - 20-30 cm, and in containers of 80-100 liters its length will be even less. If the aquarium is less than 80 liters, then it is better to refrain from purchasing these catfish, as they should have a lot of space for swimming.

Shark catfish photo

Shark catfish: maintenance and care

It is better to decorate a pond for this fish in a stone-drift style. You don’t have to plant it - the catfish will dig it up anyway. Or plant them in pots, which are also well secured in the ground. Snags and stones should not have sharp corners, since catfish can get injured during their rapid movements.

The optimal water temperature for keeping pangasius aquarium fish is +24-+30 ºС, hardness 2-15 º, pH 6.5-8. Filtration, aeration and changing water by a quarter of the volume weekly are required.

Fed fish are quite peaceful, but on a fasting day they can eat small fish that fit in their mouth. Therefore, it is better to keep them with various cichlids, large barbs, in a word, with those who will not be offended.

albino form

It is necessary to change the water very carefully. When more than a quarter of the volume is replaced, catfish may go into a state of shock. They turn pale and stand for a long time with their heads buried in a stone or snag, wriggling a little with their whole body. Catfish also behave when transplanted from one container to another. These procedures require darkening and good aeration.

The shark catfish reaches puberty only at four years of age. Females are larger than males and noticeably paler in color. No one has yet succeeded in breeding these catfish in aquarium conditions.

Other names for this fish: Siamese pangasius, freshwater shark.