/clariidae/clarias/alluaudi/1.jpg "Clarias alluaudi(1) - Click to enlarge")
/clariidae/clarias/alluaudi/2.jpg "Clarias alluaudi(2) - Click to enlarge")
/clariidae/clarias/alluaudi/3.jpg "Clarias alluaudi(3) Habitat: Papyrus swamp 8 km north of Nkozi, Uganda - Click to enlarge")
 Cat-eLog Data Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Clarias alluaudi Boulenger, 1906 |
| Common Name(s) | Alluaud's Walking Catfish, Ssemutundu (Bugandan, Ugandan) |
| Type Locality | Lake Victoria, Uganda and Kenya |
| Synonym(s) | Clarias hilgendorfi |
| Pronunciation | klar ee ass |
| Etymology | Clarias: From the Greek chlaros, meaning lively; in reference to the ability of the fish to live for long periods out of water. In honour of C. Alluaud. |
| Species Information | |
| Size | 350mm (13.8") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp. |
| Identification | Clarias species are characterized by having an elongated body; a soft rayed dorsal fin extending to, or nearly to, the caudal fin base; a soft rayed anal fin extending from just behind the anus to the caudal fin base; pectoral fins each with a serrated anterior bony spine; head depressed, covered largely by firmly sutured, surface sculptured bony plates forming a protective helmet; four pairs of flagellate barbels (nasals, maxillaries, inner and outer mandibulars); air breathing organs derived from the 2nd and 4th epibranchials within a superbranchial chamber. Dorsal soft rays (total): 65 - 79; Anal soft rays: 57 - 64; Vertebrae: 52 - 55. Pectoral fin spine serrated on both inner and outer sides. Head oval-shaped in dorsal outline; snout short and slightly rounded; eyes more dorsally located. Frontal fontanelle long and narrow (`knife-shaped'); occipital fontanelle long and oval-shaped. Supraorbital and `dermospenoticum' joined. Tooth plates relatively small. gill rakers long, slender and distantly set. Suprabranchial organ well developed. Openings of the secondary sensory canals regularly arranged on flanks.The whole fish is uniformly brownish, lighter on the belly, which never is whitish as for example in C.gariepinus. |
| General Remarks | A standard length of 35cm would be very large for this species and is most likely a mix-up with another species, most stay under 20cm. In and around Lake Rukwa the fish is common in smaller streams or swamps of the basin outside the lake.Probably there is some kind of ecological competition and C. alluaud is displaced from the lake by the larger C.gariepinus.This species can even be found in mountain streams if there is not too much current. |
| Habitat Information | |
| Distribution | Africa: Lakes Victoria, Kyoga, Edward, Rukwa and Tanganyika. African Waters  , Western Rift Valley Lakes, Victoria (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)African Waters , Western Rift Valley Lakes, Edward (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)African Waters , Nile, Upper Nile, White Nile, Kyoga (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)African Waters , Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)African Waters , Southern Rift Lakes, Rukwa (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there) |
| Husbandry Information | |
| Feeding | In the wild feeds mainly on insects, in the aquarium it is likely to be a typical clariid and be omnivorous and predatory, therefore will eat virtually anything that can be considered edible. |
| Furniture | In the wild found in marginal water-lily and papyrus swamps, so very well rooted plants and structures such as pipes that provide some shade and hiding places. |
| Compatibility | Should be be housed with lively, robust fish.Keeping in mind the smaller adult size as compared to other species of it's genus. |
| Suggested Tankmates | Medium to larger sized barbs, Ctenopoma, mid-sized Lake Victoria cichlids. |
| Breeding | Not reported. |
| Further Information | |
| References | The Fishes of the Lake Rukwa Drainage,Seegers pg.201 |
| Registered Keepers | None.  Add this species to your "my cats" page. |
| Breeding Reports | None. |
| More Resources |
 - CotM  2011 June -
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| Hits | 5506 hits. |
| Last Update | 2011 Jun 16 12:58 (species record created: 2009 Apr 08 23:31) |
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