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FACTSHEETS: September 2006 - no. 123
Pangasianodon gigas Chevey, 1931 |
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Pangasianodon gigas
It was reported in 2003 that Pangasianodon gigas is in itself getting to a critical point of extinction due to the growing pressure by fisheries, damming, and habitat destruction along the banks in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. This is also true of a lot of other species that exist in this great river as more and more people rely on the Megong for their livliehood. Like many species in the Mekong, the giant catfish needs great stretches of the river to migrate seasonally—and it must have specific water quality and flow to move through its lifecycles of spawning, eating, and breeding.
Pangasianodon gigas
It shows one of the greatest growth rates for any fish in the world, reaching 150 to 200kg in 6 years. The "Mekong giant catfish" has been re-listed as Critically Endangered because there is information which indicates that populations of the fish have declined significantly over the past several years. There are game fishing trips for catching this large species (above) but these are rereleased back into their habitat and the records that they record can help to identify what condition and numbers there are at that present moment in time.
|
irst
of all this is not an aquarium care sheet for this
species as the "Mekong giant catfish" does
not belong in the home aquarium, as this is one of
the worlds largest freshwater fish and as such should
be admired from afar!
Common Name |
Mekong giant catfish |
Synonyms |
Pangasius gigas , Pangasius paucidens |
Family |
Pangasiidae |
Subfamily |
- |
Distribution: |
Asia: Endemic to the Mekong basin where it has become rare due to overexploitation. International trade banned (CITES I, since 1.7.1975; CMS Appendix I). |
Size |
300cm. (11ft.4ins) |
Temp. |
22-28°C (71-83°F) |
p.H. |
6.5-7.5. |
Characteristics |
Dorsal spines (total): 2 - 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 8; Anal soft rays: 35; Vertebrae: 48. Body without stripes; posterior nostril located near anterior nostril; 7 branched dorsal-fin rays; gill rakers rudimentary or absent. The center of the eye above the horizontal line through the mouth angle in juveniles; eye totally below the level of mouth angle in subadults and adults. The maxillary and mandibulary pairs of barbels well developed in juveniles; mandibulary barbels become rudimentary in subadults and adults. Gigantic size; oral teeth and gill rakers present in small juveniles, absent at about 30-50 cm SL; dorsal, pelvic and pectoral fins without filamentous extensions. |
Colouration |
Silver to grey body. Fins grey, never black. Yellow underbelly and same colour to mouth area. |
Aquarium Care & Compatibility |
| Not an aquarium specimen. |
Reproduction |
Little is known on its general pattern of life and migratory journeys for spawning |
Sexual Differences |
Females are fuller in the body. |
Diet |
| Feeds on vegetation and insect larvae in the river but takes other food in captivity. |
Glossary of Terms |
Gill rakers:
Structure on the upper portion of the gill arches. |
Etymology |
| Pangasianodon:
Pangasius +
an (Greek for without)+odon (Greek for tooth); in
reference to the toothless state of the adult fish. |
References |
Froese,
R. and D. Pauly.
Editors. 2006. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic
publication. www.fishbase.org, version (05/2006). |
Photo Credits |
Top image: © |
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