Electric Catfish
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Scientific Name: Malapterurus electricus Price: Upon Request Origin: Africa Family: Malapteruridae NOT AVAILABLE NOW |
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Other Names: Malapterurus electricus |
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Technical Info
Temperature: 23 - 27 ℃
pH: 6.8 - 7.2
GH: 8 - 20
Max size: 60 cm
Min Tank size: 300 Ltr
Position in Aqua: Bottom swimmer
Description
This catfish has a long cylindrical body with a short rounded snout, small eyes and long barbels. It has small fins except for the broad caudal fin. It's body is sandy to olive green in colour often with random darker spots. From the caudal peduncle and into the tale there are bold dark and white bands. Albino variants are also found.
Food
Electric Catfish are carnivorous predators that have huge appetites. They will eat most anything, especially when fed at night. Favorite foods are anything meaty such as beef heart, earth worms, fish meat or shrimp.
Breeding
This species has not been breed in aquarium. Reports from the wild indicates that they are cave spawners.
Compatible with
Not to be trusted when adult so will need to be kept on its own. Juveniles can be kept together but would need to be monitered when growing. This fish will eat any smaller tank mates and may take chunks out of larger ones. The only other animals that are compatible with this species are snails, which they will ignore.
Note
Though to their nervous nature special care should be to disturb them as little as possible during aquarium maintenance . Malapterurus electricus (Electric catfish) can give electric shocks when distressed.