Malapterurus electricus • Malapteruridae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Malapterurus electricus** (Gmelin, 1789)
Common Name(s)	Electric Catfish
Type Locality	Rosetta, branch of the Nile R.
Synonym(s)	Silurus electricus
Pronunciation	mah lah TERR oo russ - ell eck trick uss
Etymology	Malapterurus: From the Greek malakos, meaning soft, pteron, meaning fin and oura, meaning tail; presumably in reference to the adipose fin, which appears all the more prominent in the absence of the rayed dorsal fin.
Species Information
Size	900mm (35.4") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Sexing	Males are more slender.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Central Africa North of the River Zambezi - Found in the Nile, Niger, Volta and Lakes Chad & Tanganyika African Waters, Nile (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Nigeria Waters, Niger (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Volta (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Chad (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	6.5 - 8.2
Temperature	23.0-30.0°C or 73.4-86°F (Show others within this range)
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Live fish, earthworms (bloodworm for smaller fish), chopped meat or seafood. Care must be taken not to overfeed as this fishes is a real glutton.
Furniture	A dimly lit tank with a suitably sized retreat - appears to prefer stone over wood.
Compatibility	A loner, adult fish must be kept alone.
Suggested Tankmates	None, for reasons that should be obvious!
Breeding	Unknown although it is reported that (a) the fish spawn in burrows and (b) that they may be mouthbrooders.
Further Information
References	Systema Naturae Linnév. 1 (pt 3) - pp1354
Registered Keepers	(1) arapaima, (2) Lornek8, (3) Silurus, (4) JAYcarreon, (5) Attu, (6) amazonfishman, who also notes: "This specie was kept successfully with 3 synodontis multipunctatus and 2 flavitaeniatus for 6+ months. I believe the synodontis are immune to the e-cats discharge. ", (7) Plunt, (8) Mike C, (9) Djthomas, (10) Viktor Jarikov, who also notes: "Named Plumpy. Fun to watch, though comes out only during feeding. Eats all. Elusive. Gentle.", (11) djechoskittykat, (12) Stackdeck, (13) Yellowpieslinger, (14) cbudz, (15) arapaimag (k: 3), (16) lethalcustoms00 (p: 2). Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.
Breeding Reports	None.
Articles	- CotM 2000 May
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Last Update	2005 Dec 11 00:00 (species record created: 2001 Apr 20 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Malapterurus electricus (Gmelin, 1789)

Common Name(s)

Electric Catfish

Type Locality

Rosetta, branch of the Nile R.

Synonym(s)

Silurus electricus

Pronunciation

mah lah TERR oo russ - ell eck trick uss

Etymology

Malapterurus: From the Greek malakos, meaning soft, pteron, meaning fin and oura, meaning tail; presumably in reference to the adipose fin, which appears all the more prominent in the absence of the rayed dorsal fin.

Species Information

Size

900mm (35.4") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Sexing

Males are more slender.

Habitat Information

Distribution

Central Africa North of the River Zambezi - Found in the Nile, Niger, Volta and Lakes Chad & Tanganyika
African Waters, Nile (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Nigeria Waters, Niger (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Volta (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Chad (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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

6.5 - 8.2

Temperature

23.0-30.0°C or 73.4-86°F (Show others within this range)

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Live fish, earthworms (bloodworm for smaller fish), chopped meat or seafood. Care must be taken not to overfeed as this fishes is a real glutton.

Furniture

A dimly lit tank with a suitably sized retreat - appears to prefer stone over wood.

Compatibility

A loner, adult fish must be kept alone.

Suggested Tankmates

None, for reasons that should be obvious!

Breeding

Unknown although it is reported that (a) the fish spawn in burrows and (b) that they may be mouthbrooders.

Further Information

References

Systema Naturae Linnév. 1 (pt 3) - pp1354

Registered Keepers

(1) arapaima, (2) Lornek8, (3) Silurus, (4) JAYcarreon, (5) Attu, (6) amazonfishman, who also notes: "This specie was kept successfully with 3 synodontis multipunctatus and 2 flavitaeniatus for 6+ months. I believe the synodontis are immune to the e-cats discharge. ", (7) Plunt, (8) Mike C, (9) Djthomas, (10) Viktor Jarikov, who also notes: "Named Plumpy. Fun to watch, though comes out only during feeding. Eats all. Elusive. Gentle.", (11) djechoskittykat, (12) Stackdeck, (13) Yellowpieslinger, (14) cbudz, (15) arapaimag (k: 3), (16) lethalcustoms00 (p: 2).

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

Breeding Reports

None.

Articles