PlanetCatfish.com - Clarias macrocephalus (Clariidae) Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Clarias macrocephalus** Günther, 1864
Common Names	Pla Duk Storhovedet ålemalle (Denmark)
Type Locality	Thailand.
Pronunciation	klar ee ass
Etymology	Clarias: From the Greek chlaros, meaning lively; in reference to the ability of the fish to live for long periods out of water.
Species Information
Size	1200mm or 47.2" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Clarias species are characterized by having an elongated body; a soft rayed dorsal fin extending to, or nearly to, the caudal fin base; a soft rayed anal fin extending from just behind the anus to the caudal fin base; pectoral fins each with a serrated anterior bony spine; head depressed, covered largely by firmly sutured, surface sculptured bony plates forming a protective helmet; four pairs of flagellate barbels (nasals, maxillaries, inner and outer mandibulars); air breathing organs derived from the 2nd and 4th epibranchials within a superbranchial chamber. Distinguished from Southeast Asian congeners by an extremely short and rounded occipital process and by a very high dorsal fin. The combination of these characters are diagnostic for the species. Occipital process wide, broadly curved, with length 3-5 times in its width; distance between dorsal and occipital process 5-7 times in distance from tip of snout to end of occipital process
Sexing	The genital papilla, which is to the right of the anus as you look at the fish with its head to the left, is elongated and pointed in males while it is round and relatively larger (and larger than the anus) in females. In ventral view especially, females are much broader in the body than males of equal age and rearing practices.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Asia: Thailand to Viet Nam. Introduced to China, Malaysia, Guam and the Philippines. Thailand Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Vietnam waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Data Deficient , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2019.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Feeds on aquatic insects, young shrimps and small fishes. User data.
Suggested Tankmates	Large cyprinids (silver sharks, tinfoil or spanner barbs for example) or Central American cichlids.
Breeding	Unreported in the aquarium, in nature, this species spawns in small streams.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum v. 5, pp 18.
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 is no record of this fish being seen.
Forum BBCode

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	Look up C. macrocephalus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.6.8.787
Last Update	2025 Jan 02 01:39 (species record created: 2006 Nov 11 06:16)