All fish / Clariidae

Eel catfish

Channallabes apus

Also known as eel catfish, african eel catfish, congo eel catfish, worm catfish, eel-like airbreathing catfish, 鳗鲶

This clariid catfish has a very long, eel-like body, tiny eyes, barbels and no pelvic fins. Its long dorsal and anal fins run into the tail fin. It can breathe air and spends much of its time burrowing, and people keep it because it looks and behaves so unlike most catfish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

30 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a small group in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: earthworms, bloodworm, prawns, mussel, sinking carnivore pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Congo River basin and coastal Central Africa (DR Congo, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Angola, Cameroon)

Breeding

No reliable reports of captive breeding exist. Aquarium specimens are taken from the wild.

Good to know

It is an expert escape artist, so the lid must be tight with every gap covered. It will eat any fish small enough to swallow, so keep it only with larger, robust tankmates.