Heteropneustes fossilis • Clariidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Heteropneustes fossilis** (Bloch, 1794)
Common Name(s)	Fossil Catfish, Liver Catfish, Stinging Catfish
Type Locality	Tranquebar, Tamil Nadu, India.
Synonym(s)	Silurus fossilis
Pronunciation	foss ill iss
Etymology	Heteropneustes: From the Greek heteros, meaning other and pneo, meaning to breathe; in reference to the ability of the fish to utilize atmospheric oxygen.
Species Information
Size	500mm (19.7") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Heteropneustes fossilis can be differentiated from H.kemratensis by having lesser anal fin rays
Sexing	Male has a thinner ventral line due to the stockier shape of the female.
General Remarks	Some references mention the rarer Sri Lankan species H. microps. This species, which purportedly differs in that the anal and caudal fins are joined in H. microps and distinctly separate in H. fossilis, is currently considered a junior synonym. The albino form is very, very rarely available to the aquarium trade.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Widely distributed in India,Thailand, Burma and possibly Sri Lanka. Indian waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Thailand Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) Myanmar Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	6.0 - 8.0
Temperature	21.0-25.0°C or 69.8-77°F (Show others within this range)
Other Parameters	Hardness up to 30 °dGH with good filtration made necessary by this fishes voracious appetite. Generally an undemanding, hardy species.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Will eat all prepared foods, feeder fish are not required. Larger adults will require larger foods such as earthworms and frozen prawns. Can be trained to accept large cichlid foods from the water surface.
Furniture	Typical medium size catfish set-up with plenty of swimming space for feeding and night time activity. A choice of shady retreats should be available for the fish during the day.
Compatibility	Only sensibly housed with fish that cannot be eaten and are active swimmers. Fish that rest or are slow swimmers are "buzzed" by this catfishes nocturnal prowling. Enjoys the company of it's own kind.
Suggested Tankmates	Large barbs and similar, Asian fish. Generally, medium sized active fish.
Breeding	A sticky cluster of yellow-green eggs are laid in pits in the aquarium substrate. Both parents tend the clutch, fanning the pit to ensure water circulates around the eggs. Care continues well after the fry emerge. The fry grow rapidly and can attain lengths of greater than 80mm in a matter of months.
Further Information
References	Naturg. Ausl. Fischev. 8 - pp46 - Pl. 370 (fig. 2) Burgess' Atlas wrongly labels H. microps as H. fossilis in the colour plates section, but shows H. fossilis correctly in the preceding black and white text.
Registered Keepers	(1) Dave Rinaldo, (2) Iwona (k: 7), (3) CFC, (4) yellowcat, (5) lordotterby, (6) brettwms75, who also notes: "I really like to watch this fish swim and eat. I'd like to test-out the sting of this fish. I've felt an Electric catfishes jolt when I held one but the Fossil's sting scares me a bit. I'd buy more if I could find them!", (7) vernonlarge (k: 2), (8) amiidae, (9) Chi-Chi, (10) myrheksa (k: 3), (11) miravns, (12) Shovelnose (k: 2), (13) Oliver D., (14) Back, (15) TRD (k: 2), who also notes: "I think it is a male and a female. They tend to keep hidden during the day mostly.", (16) arapaimag (k: 5), (17) Mcjlance, (18) in_the_seance (k: 8), (19) Pestey. 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	(1) Iwona (b: 9).
Articles	- CotM 2001 October
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Last Update	2012 Jul 25 19:59 (species record created: 2001 Apr 24 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794)

Common Name(s)

Fossil Catfish, Liver Catfish, Stinging Catfish

Type Locality

Tranquebar, Tamil Nadu, India.

Synonym(s)

Silurus fossilis

Pronunciation

foss ill iss

Etymology

Heteropneustes: From the Greek heteros, meaning other and pneo, meaning to breathe; in reference to the ability of the fish to utilize atmospheric oxygen.

Species Information

Size

500mm (19.7") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

Heteropneustes fossilis can be differentiated from H.kemratensis by having lesser anal fin rays

Sexing

Male has a thinner ventral line due to the stockier shape of the female.

General Remarks

Some references mention the rarer Sri Lankan species H. microps. This species, which purportedly differs in that the anal and caudal fins are joined in H. microps and distinctly separate in H. fossilis, is currently considered a junior synonym. The albino form is very, very rarely available to the aquarium trade.

Habitat Information

Distribution

Widely distributed in India,Thailand, Burma and possibly Sri Lanka.
Indian waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Thailand Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Myanmar Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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

6.0 - 8.0

Temperature

21.0-25.0°C or 69.8-77°F (Show others within this range)

Other Parameters

Hardness up to 30 °dGH with good filtration made necessary by this fishes voracious appetite. Generally an undemanding, hardy species.

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Will eat all prepared foods, feeder fish are not required. Larger adults will require larger foods such as earthworms and frozen prawns. Can be trained to accept large cichlid foods from the water surface.

Furniture

Typical medium size catfish set-up with plenty of swimming space for feeding and night time activity. A choice of shady retreats should be available for the fish during the day.

Compatibility

Only sensibly housed with fish that cannot be eaten and are active swimmers. Fish that rest or are slow swimmers are "buzzed" by this catfishes nocturnal prowling. Enjoys the company of it's own kind.

Suggested Tankmates

Large barbs and similar, Asian fish. Generally, medium sized active fish.

Breeding

A sticky cluster of yellow-green eggs are laid in pits in the aquarium substrate. Both parents tend the clutch, fanning the pit to ensure water circulates around the eggs. Care continues well after the fry emerge. The fry grow rapidly and can attain lengths of greater than 80mm in a matter of months.

Further Information

References

Naturg. Ausl. Fischev. 8 - pp46 - Pl. 370 (fig. 2)
Burgess' Atlas wrongly labels H. microps as H. fossilis in the colour plates section, but shows H. fossilis correctly in the preceding black and white text.

Registered Keepers

(1) Dave Rinaldo, (2) Iwona (k: 7), (3) CFC, (4) yellowcat, (5) lordotterby, (6) brettwms75, who also notes: "I really like to watch this fish swim and eat. I'd like to test-out the sting of this fish. I've felt an Electric catfishes jolt when I held one but the Fossil's sting scares me a bit. I'd buy more if I could find them!", (7) vernonlarge (k: 2), (8) amiidae, (9) Chi-Chi, (10) myrheksa (k: 3), (11) miravns, (12) Shovelnose (k: 2), (13) Oliver D., (14) Back, (15) TRD (k: 2), who also notes: "I think it is a male and a female. They tend to keep hidden during the day mostly.", (16) arapaimag (k: 5), (17) Mcjlance, (18) in_the_seance (k: 8), (19) Pestey.

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

(1) Iwona (b: 9).

Articles