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Molluscan Pictures (2) Wolfgang Ros (18) Ilya and Dr Daniel Pauly (1 Stamp) Frants Lehmann (1 Stamp) Reinhold Wawrzynski (3)

Habitat: Inhabits lowland streams, swamps, ponds, ditches, rice paddies, and pools left in low spots after rivers have been in flood. Usually confined to stagnant, muddy water. Found in medium to large-sized rivers, flooded fields and stagnant water bodies including sluggish flowing canals. Undertakes lateral migrations from the Mekong mainstream, or other permanent water bodies, to flooded areas during the flood season and returns to the permanent water bodies at the onset of the dry season. Aquarium Care: Very much a predator so would need to be kept alone or with its own kind as in a pair. They are predators and very good escape artists as well so if you do fancy keeping them a tight lid is essential with large hiding places, a soft bottom (sand or rounded gravel) and of course a large tank of 4ft or larger and outside filtration. Diet: Feeds on insect larvae, earthworms, shells, shrimps, small fish, aquatic plants and debris. In its native habitat it is a scavenger and will eat smaller fish and are opportunist feeders and so will eat just about anything!. In the aquarium they are not fussy feeders but fish of some sort should be on the menu but does not necessary need to be live food. Remarks: Can live out of water for quite sometime and move short distances over land. Can walk and leave the water to migrate to other water bodies using its auxiliary breathing organs. The Lao use this fish as lap pa or ponne pa. An important food fish that is marketed live, fresh and frozen. Recently rare, due to replacing of introduced African walking catfish. It received its common name of the 'Walking Catfish' on its ability to walk overland from pond to pond when their original habitat dries up or after a heavy rainfall. They possess a much reduced air-bladder and their gills are stiffened to prevent their collapse when out of water and in a special part of the gill chamber are spongy arborecent (tree-like) organs growing from the upper ends of the gill arches. These and the skin surrounding them, are well supplied with blood vessels and operate efficiently in water lacking in oxygen or when the fish is out of water. They of course keep their gills closed when out of water and as long as their body is kept moist they can stay on land for a considerable length of time.

Walking Catfish

Silurus batrachus, Clarias magur, C. punctatus, Macropteronotus batrachus, Macropteronotus magur

Clariidae

Asia: Java, Indonesia. Clarias aff. batrachus from Indochina and Clarias aff. batrachus from Sundaland have been misidentified as Clarias batrachus from Java. Introduced elsewhere. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.

60.0cm. (24ins)

20-25°C (68-77°F)

6.0-7.5

Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2009. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (10/2009).
ScotCat Factsheet. 47. May 2000.