Bighead catfish (Clarias macrocephalus)

Scientific name: Clarias macrocephalus G?nther, 1864

Bighead catfish (Clarias macrocephalus)

The Bighead catfish (Clarias macrocephalus) is a freshwater fish of the family Clariidae. Native range: Asia, Thailand to Viet Nam. Introduced to China, Malaysia, Guam and the Philippines.

Biology

Lives in lowland wetlands and rivers. Occurs in shallow, open water and is capable of lying buried in mud for lengthy period if ponds and lakes evaporate during dry seasons. Can move out of the water using its extended fins. Found in medium to large-sized rivers, stagnant water bodies including sluggish flowing canals and flooded fields of the Mekong. Spawns in small streams. Feeds on aquatic insects, young shrimps and small fishes. In Thailand and Laos, this fish is considered to be better and more nourishing than Clarias batrachus; uncommon in Laos but common in Thailand; thought wrongly as female of Clarias batrachus in Thailand (Ref 2686). Important foodfish and in pond cultures. Marketed live, fresh and frozen; consumed fried, broiled and baked. Cultiv

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Clarias macrocephalus
Family
Clariidae (Airbreathing catfishes)
Order
Siluriformes (Catfish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
120
Depth range
1 m (3 ft)
Environment
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; potamodromous; depth range 1 - ? m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Asia: Thailand to Viet Nam. Introduced to China, Malaysia, Guam and the Philippines.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Assuming tm=1; Fec=800-14,000)

Sources

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

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