All fish / Heteropneustidae

Stinging Catfish

Heteropneustes fossilis

Also known as asian stinging catfish, fossil cat, fossil catfish, singhi, albino stinging catfish, airsac catfish, saccobranchus fossilis, ปลาจีด, ヒレナマズ, 囊鳃鲶, 刺鲶

This is a long, eel-like catfish in dark brown to purplish black with four pairs of barbels and a long anal fin. It has air sacs that let it breathe air, so it copes with poor water and is very hardy, and keepers like its active night-time foraging. An albino form is also sold.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

25 cm

Temperature

21 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 8

Smallest tank

250 litres

Keep as

Singly or in a small group in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: sinking pellets, earthworms, prawns, mussel and fish pieces

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand

Breeding

In the wild it spawns in shallow flooded pools during the monsoon and the parents guard the eggs. It is bred in large numbers on farms in South Asia, usually with hormone injections, but spawning in home aquariums is rare.

Good to know

The pectoral spines carry venom and can give a very painful sting, so handle it with a net and care. It grows fairly large and will eat any fish small enough to swallow, and it is banned or restricted in some places, such as parts of the USA.