Rita rita • Bagridae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Rita rita** (Hamilton, 1822)
Common Name(s)	Bengal Catfish
Type Locality	Bengal estuaries.
Synonym(s)	Arius ritoides, Pimelodus rita, Rita ritoides
Pronunciation	REET ah - REE tah
Etymology	The name Rita is derived from the local name of the fish.
Species Information
Size	1500mm (59.1") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Bagrid catfishes of the genus Rita Bleeker, 1854 are found in large rivers throughout the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar, and are capable of reaching sizes to 1500 mm TL (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991), although mature specimens of ca. 200-300 mm SL are more commonly encountered. The genus is diagnosed by the following synapomorphies (Mo, 1991): single pair of mandibular barbels, elongated Weberian apparatus firmly sutured to the basioccipital, and the sensory canal on the posttemporal enclosed within the bone. Distinguished by its small eyes, purplish gray color, top of head covered by thin skin, and vomerine teeth in two broad ovoid patches.
Sexing	Males have an elongate genital papilla in front of the anal fin.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Northern part of the Indian subcontinent, primarily in the Ganges and Indus River drainages. Pakistan Waters, Indus (click on these areas to find other species found there) Indian waters, North Eastern India Waters, Padma, Ganges (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	5.8 - 7.2
Temperature	18.0-26.0°C or 64.4-78.8°F (Show others within this range)
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Readily eats all manner of live and prepared foods. Will eat smaller fishes.
Furniture	Provide plenty of driftwood as hiding places.
Compatibility	Although a fairly peaceful fish, it will eat smaller tankmates and is therefore best kept only with large, robust fishes. Extremely large cyprinids like Labeo spp. are ideal tankmates.
Breeding	Not reported.
Further Information
References	Fishes Ganges - pp165, 376 - Pl. 24 (fig. 53)
Registered Keepers	(1) brettwms75, who also notes: "I ordered a Whale Catfish hoping for a Cetopsis and got this instead. The Rita Species I am keeping is actually Rita sacerdotum or a Salween rita. Very hard to identify but the eyes give it away as a Rita species. Very cool I hope 2 get more!", (2) Shovelnose, who also notes: "Wild caught", (3) headbanger_jib. 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.
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Last Update	2006 Mar 24 00:00 (species record created: 2003 Jan 11 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Rita rita (Hamilton, 1822)

Common Name(s)

Bengal Catfish

Type Locality

Bengal estuaries.

Synonym(s)

Arius ritoides, Pimelodus rita, Rita ritoides

Pronunciation

REET ah - REE tah

Etymology

The name Rita is derived from the local name of the fish.

Species Information

Size

1500mm (59.1") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

Bagrid catfishes of the genus Rita Bleeker, 1854 are found in large rivers throughout the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar, and are capable of reaching sizes to 1500 mm TL (Talwar and Jhingran, 1991), although mature specimens of ca. 200-300 mm SL are more commonly encountered. The genus is diagnosed by the following synapomorphies (Mo, 1991): single pair of mandibular barbels, elongated Weberian apparatus firmly sutured to the basioccipital, and the sensory canal on the posttemporal enclosed within the bone.

Distinguished by its small eyes, purplish gray color, top of head covered by thin skin, and vomerine teeth in two broad ovoid patches.

Sexing

Males have an elongate genital papilla in front of the anal fin.

Habitat Information

Distribution

Northern part of the Indian subcontinent, primarily in the Ganges and Indus River drainages.
Pakistan Waters, Indus (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Indian waters, North Eastern India Waters, Padma, Ganges (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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

5.8 - 7.2

Temperature

18.0-26.0°C or 64.4-78.8°F (Show others within this range)

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Readily eats all manner of live and prepared foods. Will eat smaller fishes.

Furniture

Provide plenty of driftwood as hiding places.

Compatibility

Although a fairly peaceful fish, it will eat smaller tankmates and is therefore best kept only with large, robust fishes. Extremely large cyprinids like Labeo spp. are ideal tankmates.

Breeding

Not reported.

Further Information

References

Fishes Ganges - pp165, 376 - Pl. 24 (fig. 53)

Registered Keepers

(1) brettwms75, who also notes: "I ordered a Whale Catfish hoping for a Cetopsis and got this instead. The Rita Species I am keeping is actually Rita sacerdotum or a Salween rita. Very hard to identify but the eyes give it away as a Rita species. Very cool I hope 2 get more!", (2) Shovelnose, who also notes: "Wild caught", (3) headbanger_jib.

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.