TankBud

African butter catfish

Schilbe intermedius

Also known as Silver butter catfish, Grass cutter catfish

FreshwaterFish

African butter catfish (Schilbe intermedius)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.5–7.8
Adult size
19.7 in
50 cm
Minimum tank
264 gal
1,000 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Schilbeidae
Origin
Most of tropical Africa, Nile to the Zambezi

Overview

The African butter catfish is a large, restless catfish for the open water of a very big aquarium. It is only for experienced keepers.

Did you know

The African butter catfish is a staple food fish in much of Africa. It climbs toward the surface to feed after dark, then drops back down as the light returns.

Caring for the African butter catfish

The African butter catfish needs a very big aquarium of at least 264 gal (1,000 L), since even a single fish needs enormous space. Leave long, clear swimming lanes, with some driftwood and shade at the sides. Add strong filtration, firm, well-oxygenated flow and a secure lid.

Keep it warm, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C), in roughly neutral water with a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Feed meaty foods such as fish fillet, prawn, mussel, earthworms and large sinking pellets.

It swims almost constantly in open water rather than resting on the bottom. In nature it travels in shoals, so keep a group. It does not bully its own kind, but it is a hunter that eats fish it can swallow. Keep only tank mates too large to become a meal.

Females grow larger than males. In the wild it breeds in the rainy season, migrating in compact shoals up into rivers. It is not known to spawn in aquariums.

Good to know

The African butter catfish, Schilbe intermedius, is a schilbeid catfish that commonly reaches about 30 cm. Young fish take insects and invertebrates, but adults become mainly piscivorous, hunting other fish. A slender silver body and long anal fin mark it out as an open-water cruiser built for the chase.

In the wild

The African butter catfish ranges across much of tropical Africa, from the Nile to the Zambezi. It lives in the open and shallow waters of large rivers and lakes.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The African butter catfish is a mostly peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an African butter catfish need?

An African butter catfish needs at least 264 gal (1,000 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an African butter catfish need?

An African butter catfish is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does an African butter catfish eat?

An African butter catfish eats meaty foods such as fish fillet, prawn, mussel, earthworms and large sinking pellets.

How big does an African butter catfish get?

An adult African butter catfish reaches about 19.7 in (50 cm).

Does an African butter catfish need a group?

Yes. An African butter catfish is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How can you tell a male African butter catfish from a female?

Female African butter catfish grow larger than males.

How does an African butter catfish breed?

African butter catfish breed in the rainy season in the wild, migrating up rivers in compact shoals. They are not known to spawn in aquariums.

Related species