Bayad (Bagrus bajad)

Scientific name: Bagrus bajad Forssk?l, 1775

Bayad (Bagrus bajad)

The Bayad (Bagrus bajad) is a freshwater fish of the family Bagridae. In the aquarium it needs water at 22–28°C (72–82°F). Native range: Africa, Nile River, Lake Chad, Niger and Senegal River, Lakes Mobutu (Lake Albert) and Turkana. Reported from Sanaga River basin.

Bayad care at a glance

Temperature
22–28°C (72–82°F)

Biology

Found in lakes, swamps and rivers. Avoids salt water. Spends nearly the whole of the daylight hours in crevices of rocks and is therefor seldom seen. Lives and feeds on or near the bottom. Adults exclusively piscivorous. Preys on small fish, particularly Alestes spp., or Chrysichthys auratus as in Lake Kainji; also feeds on insects, crustaceans, mollusks, vegetable matter. Efficiency of catching prey catfish is maximised by face to face attack, avoiding damage by dorsal and pectoral spines of the prey. There is some indication that the species comes to shallower water to breed. Spawning season extends from April to July. Parents build and guard the nest, which is like a flat disc with a central hole where the eggs a

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Bagrus bajad
Family
Bagridae (Bagrid catfishes)
Order
Siluriformes (Catfish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
112
Common length
50.0
Depth range
60 m (197 ft)
Environment
Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous; depth range ? - 60 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Africa: Nile River, Lake Chad, Niger and Senegal River, Lakes Mobutu (Lake Albert) and Turkana. Reported from Sanaga River basin.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=4-5; tmax=8; K=0.18; Fec=18,630-47,920)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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