Pangasianodon gigas • Pangasiidae • Cat-eLog • PlanetCatfish

This 646lb specimen caught 1st May 2005 was probably the largest freshwater fish in the world. It measured 2.7m.
85kg adult
64kg adult
Leucistic individual
Close-up of head
Nakhon Nayok market, Thailand
Nakhon Nayok market, Thailand
Skeleton
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Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Pangasianodon gigas** Chevey, 1931
Common Name(s)	Giant Mekong Catfish, Mekong Catfish, Pla Buk
Type Locality	Mekong R. system, Pnom-Penh, Cambodia.
Synonym(s)	Pangasius gigas, Pangasius paucidens
Pronunciation	Pang ah see ah naw don - gig ass
Etymology	The generic name is derived from Pangasius + an (Greek for without)+odon (Greek for tooth); in reference to the toothless state of the adult fish. The specific epithet means a giant in Latin, and refers to the huge size of this species.
Species Information
Size	3000mm (118.1") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	The center of the eye above the horizontal line through the mouth angle in juveniles; eye totally below the level of mouth angle in subadults and adults. The maxillary and mandibular barbels well developed in juveniles, mandibular barbels becoming rudimentary in subadults and adults. Gigantic size; oral teeth and gill rakers present in small juveniles, absent at about 30-50 cm SL; dorsal, pelvic and pectoral fins without filamentous extensions.
Sexing	Females are fuller-bodied.
General Remarks	Shows one of the fastest growth rates of any fish in the world, reaching 150-200 kg in six years. A migratory species, but distances and destinations unknown.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Asia: endemic to the Mekong basin where it has become rare due to over-exploitation. Mekong (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)
pH	6.0 - 7.6
Temperature	20.0-28.0°C or 68-82.4°F (Show others within this range)
Husbandry Information
Feeding	A benthic carnivore.
Furniture	Needs vast amount of open space for swimming room and some plants to help reduce the nervous nature of the fish. Irrespective of its endangered status, not a fish for the home aquarium.
Compatibility	Will eat much smaller fishes, but peaceful with fishes of its own size or larger. An extremely nervous fish that is best kept in shoals but otherwise alone.
Suggested Tankmates	Not recommended for home aquaria.
Breeding	Not reported, although it is widely raised in ponds for food. In the wild, it spawns in estuaries and like many large catfish has a huge migratory range.
Further Information
References	Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr.v. 55 (no. 7) (1930) - pp538 - Figs. 1-2 Rainboth, WJ, 1996. Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO Species Identification Field Guide for Fishery Purposes. FAO, Rome, 265 pp. Origin and or Distribution: Endemic to the Mekong basin where it has become rare due to overexploitation. International trade banned (CITES I).
Registered Keepers	(1) arapaima. Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species. Add this species to your "my cats" page.
Breeding Reports	None.
More Resources	- Shane's World Catfishology In Search of the World's Largest Catfish - Search Planet Catfish for more on Pangasianodon gigas - BBcode (for use in linking to this page from forum posts) - Look up Pangasianodon gigas on AquaticRepublic.com - Look up Pangasianodon gigas on Fishbase, I.T.I.S. or ispecies search. - URL (for use in linking to the species from anywhere on the web)
Hits	18650 hits.
Last Update	2012 May 12 07:05 (species record created: 2001 Dec 22 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Pangasianodon gigas Chevey, 1931

Common Name(s)

Giant Mekong Catfish, Mekong Catfish, Pla Buk

Type Locality

Mekong R. system, Pnom-Penh, Cambodia.

Synonym(s)

Pangasius gigas, Pangasius paucidens

Pronunciation

Pang ah see ah naw don - gig ass

Etymology

The generic name is derived from Pangasius + an (Greek for without)+odon (Greek for tooth); in reference to the toothless state of the adult fish. The specific epithet means a giant in Latin, and refers to the huge size of this species.

Species Information

Size

3000mm (118.1") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

The center of the eye above the horizontal line through the mouth angle in juveniles; eye totally below the level of mouth angle in subadults and adults. The maxillary and mandibular barbels well developed in juveniles, mandibular barbels becoming rudimentary in subadults and adults. Gigantic size; oral teeth and gill rakers present in small juveniles, absent at about 30-50 cm SL; dorsal, pelvic and pectoral fins without filamentous extensions.

Sexing

Females are fuller-bodied.

General Remarks

Shows one of the fastest growth rates of any fish in the world, reaching 150-200 kg in six years. A migratory species, but distances and destinations unknown.

Habitat Information

Distribution

Asia: endemic to the Mekong basin where it has become rare due to over-exploitation.
Mekong Show it on a map

(hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there)

6.0 - 7.6

Temperature

20.0-28.0°C or 68-82.4°F (Show others within this range)

Husbandry Information

Feeding

A benthic carnivore.

Furniture

Needs vast amount of open space for swimming room and some plants to help reduce the nervous nature of the fish. Irrespective of its endangered status, not a fish for the home aquarium.

Compatibility

Will eat much smaller fishes, but peaceful with fishes of its own size or larger. An extremely nervous fish that is best kept in shoals but otherwise alone.

Suggested Tankmates

Not recommended for home aquaria.

Breeding

Not reported, although it is widely raised in ponds for food. In the wild, it spawns in estuaries and like many large catfish has a huge migratory range.

Further Information

References

Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr.v. 55 (no. 7) (1930) - pp538 - Figs. 1-2
Rainboth, WJ, 1996. Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO Species Identification Field Guide for Fishery Purposes. FAO, Rome, 265 pp. Origin and or Distribution: Endemic to the Mekong basin where it has become rare due to overexploitation. International trade banned (CITES I).

Registered Keepers

(1) arapaima.

Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.

Add this species to your My Cats species list

Add this species to your "my cats" page.

Breeding Reports

None.

More Resources

- Shane's World

Catfishology

In Search of the World's Largest Catfish

- Search Planet Catfish for more on Pangasianodon gigas
Link

- BBcode (for use in linking to this page from forum posts)
Look up AquaticRepublic.com

- Look up Pangasianodon gigas on AquaticRepublic.com
Look up Fishbase

- Look up Pangasianodon gigas on Fishbase, I.T.I.S. or ispecies search.
Link

- URL (for use in linking to the species from anywhere on the web)

Hits

18650 hits.

Last Update

2012 May 12 07:05 (species record created: 2001 Dec 22 00:00)

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