Cat-eLog Data Sheet | |
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Scientific Name | Malapterurus electricus (Gmelin, 1789) |
Common Names | Electric Catfish Elektrisk Mal (Sweden), Elektrisk Malle (Denmark), Elmalle (Denmark), Zitterwels (Germany) |
Type Locality | Nile River at Banha, Egypt, 30°28'N 31°11'E. |
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. |
Articles | - CotM 2000 May |
Species Information | |
Size | 1220mm or 48" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp. |
Sexing | Males are more slender. |
Habitat Information | |
Distribution | Africa: occurs in much of the Nile system (exclusive of Lake Victoria), the Lake Turkana, Lake Chad and Senegal basins, throughout the Niger system, and in smaller southward flowing basins in west Africa (rivers Bandama through Volta). 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) African Waters, Nigeria Waters, Agulu (click on these areas to find other species found there) Log in to view data on a map. |
IUCN Red List Category | Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2019. |
pH | 6.5 - 8.2 |
Temperature | 23.0-30.0°C or 73.4-86°F (Show species 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. User data. |
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. |
Breeding Reports | There is no breeding report. |
Further Information | |
Reference | Caroli a Linné ... Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae v. 1 (pt 3), pp 1354. |
Registered Keepers | There are 32 registered keepers, view all "my cats" data. |
Wishlists | Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is but a single wish to keep this species, see who wants what. |
Spotters | Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 14 records of this fish being seen, view them all. |
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Look up M. electricus on Fishbase | |
Look up M. electricus on Encyclopedia of Life | |
Look up M. electricus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility | |
LFS label creator | |
Last Update | 2021 Mar 10 11:00 (species record created: 2001 Apr 20 00:00) |