Bagrichthys obscurus • Bagridae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Bagrichthys obscurus** Ng, 1999
Common Name(s)	None
Type Locality	Lam Chi, 1.5 km below highway 23 bridge, 4 km west of Selaphum, Roi Et Province, Thailand
Pronunciation	bag RICK thiss - orb skew russ
Etymology	Bagrichthys: From bagrus, the name of a catfish genus frequently used to form generic names, and the Greek ichthys, meaning fish. From the Latin obscurus, meaning indistinct, in reference to the lack of pale patches on this species.
Species Information
Size	250mm (9.8") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Members of the highly specialized and unusually-shaped bagrid catfish genus Bagrichthys Bleeker, 1858, live in large muddy rivers throughout Southeast Asia and are characterised by their elongate and laterally compressed caudal peduncle, the dorsally-directed serrations on the posterior edge of the dorsal-fin spine, gill membranes united but free from the isthmus, and a long adipose fin without a free posterior margin (Roberts, 1989). A relatively small and narrow mouth opening; extremely reduced oral dentition; relatively short dorsal-fin spine with 15 or fewer serrae; both inner and outer mandibular barbels crenulated; a slender body (body depth at anus 15.1-18.4% SL; depth of caudal peduncle 6.7-8.3% SL); a short adipose fin base (length 43.3-48.9% SL); the genital papilla in males touching the base of the first anal-fin ray; a uniformly brown body without both a pale midlateral stripe and pale blotches on the sides of the body.
Sexing	Males have a prominent genital papilla in front of the anal fin and longer barbels.
General Remarks	Occurs in large muddy rivers. Feeds on small fishes, benthic invertebrates and large amounts of plant detritus.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Chao Phraya, Bang Pakong and Mekong drainages in mainland Southeast Asia. Thailand Waters, Chao Praya (click on these areas to find other species found there) Mekong (click on these areas to find other species found there) Thailand Waters, Bang Pakong (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	5.4 - 7.0
Temperature	22.0-28.0°C or 71.6-82.4°F (Show others within this range)
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Readily accepts prepared foods. Frozen brineshrimp appears to produce the most activity from the fish and frozen bloodworm is also relished.
Furniture	The fish loves tangles of plants which it carefully inspects for morsels of food after lights out. A suitably sized pipe or cave is required for this fish as it can quite easily damage itself in panic if this is not provided and easily accessed by the fish. Heater elements should be guarded or positioned so that they are not used for refuge - this fish is prone to heater burns.
Compatibility	A timid fish that does well in a sizeable aquarium inhabited by smaller fish. Although a night-time prowler, even small fish are safe enough. Conspecifics may be aggressively territorial.
Breeding	Not reported. Spawns at the beginning of the rainy season and utilizes the flooded forests along the river edge. Juveniles appear in August.
Further Information
Registered Keepers	None.
Breeding Reports	None.
	Search Planet Catfish for more on Bagrichthys obscurus
	Look up Bagrichthys obscurus on AquaticRepublic.com
BBCode	(for use in linking to this page from forum posts)
	(for use in linking to the species from anywhere on the web)
	Look up Bagrichthys obscurus on Fishbase
	Get or print a QR code for this species profile, or try our BETA label creator.
Hits	4404 hits.
Last Update	2005 Sep 26 00:00 (species record created: 2003 Jun 19 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Bagrichthys obscurus Ng, 1999

Common Name(s)

None

Type Locality

Lam Chi, 1.5 km below highway 23 bridge, 4 km west of Selaphum, Roi Et Province, Thailand

Pronunciation

bag RICK thiss - orb skew russ

Etymology

Bagrichthys: From bagrus, the name of a catfish genus frequently used to form generic names, and the Greek ichthys, meaning fish. From the Latin obscurus, meaning indistinct, in reference to the lack of pale patches on this species.

Species Information

Size

250mm (9.8") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

Members of the highly specialized and unusually-shaped bagrid catfish genus Bagrichthys Bleeker, 1858, live in large muddy rivers throughout Southeast Asia and are characterised by their elongate and laterally compressed caudal peduncle, the dorsally-directed serrations on the posterior edge of the dorsal-fin spine, gill membranes united but free from the isthmus, and a long adipose fin without a free posterior margin (Roberts, 1989).

A relatively small and narrow mouth opening; extremely reduced oral dentition; relatively short dorsal-fin spine with 15 or fewer serrae; both inner and outer mandibular barbels crenulated; a slender body (body depth at anus 15.1-18.4% SL; depth of caudal peduncle 6.7-8.3% SL); a short adipose fin base (length 43.3-48.9% SL); the genital papilla in males touching the base of the first anal-fin ray; a uniformly brown body without both a pale midlateral stripe and pale blotches on the sides of the body.

Sexing

Males have a prominent genital papilla in front of the anal fin and longer barbels.

General Remarks

Occurs in large muddy rivers. Feeds on small fishes, benthic invertebrates and large amounts of plant detritus.

Habitat Information

Distribution

Chao Phraya, Bang Pakong and Mekong drainages in mainland Southeast Asia.
Thailand Waters, Chao Praya (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Mekong (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Thailand Waters, Bang Pakong (click on these areas to find other species found there)

(Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)

5.4 - 7.0

Temperature

22.0-28.0°C or 71.6-82.4°F (Show others within this range)

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Readily accepts prepared foods. Frozen brineshrimp appears to produce the most activity from the fish and frozen bloodworm is also relished.

Furniture

The fish loves tangles of plants which it carefully inspects for morsels of food after lights out. A suitably sized pipe or cave is required for this fish as it can quite easily damage itself in panic if this is not provided and easily accessed by the fish. Heater elements should be guarded or positioned so that they are not used for refuge - this fish is prone to heater burns.

Compatibility

A timid fish that does well in a sizeable aquarium inhabited by smaller fish. Although a night-time prowler, even small fish are safe enough. Conspecifics may be aggressively territorial.

Breeding

Not reported. Spawns at the beginning of the rainy season and utilizes the flooded forests along the river edge. Juveniles appear in August.

Further Information

Registered Keepers

None.

Breeding Reports

None.