Asian redtail catfish

Care at a glance

Overview

The Asian redtail catfish is a huge, aggressive bottom predator, realistically a public-aquarium or monster-tank fish only. It is strictly for experienced keepers.

Caring for the Asian redtail catfish

The Asian redtail catfish needs a very large tank, with 450 gal (1,703 L) as a practical floor. An adult is better off in 3000 liters or more. Fit robust filtration, strong water movement and large rock or cave structures for refuge, and keep the lighting dim. It is a powerful jumper, so a heavy, securely weighted lid is essential.

Keep the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It tolerates a wider range than that, with reports of pH up to 8.0 and temperatures down to about 19 C. Feed meaty foods such as prawn, mussel, fish strips, earthworms and sinking carnivore pellets. Avoid mammalian or poultry meat.

Keep only one per tank. It is one of the most aggressive catfish in the hobby, highly territorial and predatory. It will eat or kill anything it can catch, and it shows little fear even of your hands. Add tank mates only with great caution.

There is no reliable home-aquarium breeding record, though it has been spawned commercially in aquaculture. Large predatory catfish are restricted or banned in some regions, so check your local rules before buying. Never release one into the wild.

Good to know

The Asian redtail catfish is a demersal predator in the family Bagridae, also called the Asian red-tailed catfish. It has been recorded up to 130 cm and 70 to 80 kg.

In the wild

Asian redtail catfish come from large upland rivers in the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and southern China. These are deep, fast-flowing channels with rocky beds and strong current.

Common questions

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