Data sheet shark catfish
German name:
shark catfish
Scientific name:
Pangasius sutchi
Origin:
Thailand
Size:
30-100cm
Aquarium
Length:
200cm
Contents:
From 500 liters
Lighting:
Shady
Furnishings:
Floating plants, lots of swimming space
water values
Temperature:
22-26ºC
PH value:
7
carbonate hardness:
total hardness:
2 – 29 °dGH
Behave
Area:
bottom, middle
propagation:
egglayer
Lining:
omnivore
Behave:
Swarm juveniles, later loners
Difficulty level:
advanced
Sources
General information about shark catfish
Latin pangasius hypothalmus or P.sutchi
-belongs to the shark catfish family (Pangasidae)
Occurrence in nature:
-larger rivers in Asia
Characteristics:
- Hatchlings are often offered in pet shops around 5-10 cm BUT:
- only juveniles with “beautiful” coloring grow up to approx. 120 cm
- therefore the largest possible tank is required for maintenance (preferably several thousand liters)
- not necessarily the best choice for “average Joes” because of the space requirements
- very fond of swimming, relatively calm and peaceful
- eats fish and crabs in nature, otherwise it can be fed with pellets and fish meat
- Socialization only possible with large fish
water values
-pH approx. 7-8, temperature approx. 25-29°C, carbonate hardness around 5-10°dKH (relatively variable)
Own experience with similar looking species
Haiwel’s photo: Christoph Schöberl
Anyone who should get such a young animal must be prepared for the fact that the little fellows really eat smaller fish too!! For me it was neons!! Well I bought two similar catfish about the same size. When one was fighting with a perch he got a bad eye injury so I had to put him in my other tank first to let him recover. Well, every 2-4 days a neon disappeared without a trace!! Since the catfish did not / does not come out of its hiding place during the day and only red tetras or neon tetras and no black tetras (of the same size) were affected, I did not immediately assume «murder».
When I then put the catfish back to his buddy in the other tank, I noticed the difference. In one week it has grown by 2cm! Even so, the pool was smaller! It can therefore be assumed that the animals also have a certain need for protein in their food.
In addition to dry food, I also feed frozen red mosquito larvae (but out of your hand, otherwise others are faster – at least with light). The dry/pellet feed should sink to the bottom because the animals do not swim towards the lights.
It seems to me that they only feel the ground for food with their «feelers».
In the dark, they seem to see very well and still pick up the last sparks of light, so they may also feed in the dark.
In terms of size, however, mine are also due to the size of the tank (or smallness) with its approx. 20cm remained quite small. I think they could have been a lot bigger under normal circumstances.