TankBud

Crocodile catfish

Bagarius suchus

FreshwaterFish

Crocodile catfish (Bagarius suchus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–73°F
18–23°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
27.6 in
70 cm
Minimum tank
660 gal
2,500 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Sisoridae
Origin
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia

Overview

This is a solitary, aggressive predator that needs huge space, on the order of 2500 liters, with cool water in the high teens to low 20s C and a near-neutral pH. It stays on the bottom and hunts at night, eating fish and crustaceans. It is not a community fish and is hard to keep, so it is really only suited to experienced keepers with the right setup. House it alone.

In the wild

Crocodile catfish come from fast, rocky rivers in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, where the current runs hard and the water is cool and well oxygenated. They flatten against the bottom and grip the substrate to hold position in the flow. This is not a normal aquarium fish. Recreating that means a very large tank with strong current, high oxygen, and a temperature on the cool side.

Good to know

This is a large sisorid catfish in the family Sisoridae, reaching around 70 cm. It is a bottom-dwelling ambush predator built for life in torrents, with a flattened body that helps it stay anchored. There is no home breeding record for it, and wild populations face pressure from dams and habitat change.

Did you know

It needs cold, oxygen-rich, fast-moving water, which is exactly what most tropical setups cannot provide. That gap between what it needs and what a typical tank offers is the main reason it rates as difficult and often does poorly in captivity.

Common questions

What size tank does a Crocodile catfish need?

A Crocodile catfish needs at least 660 gal (2,500 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Crocodile catfish need?

A Crocodile catfish is comfortable at 64–73°F (18–23°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

How big does a Crocodile catfish get?

An adult Crocodile catfish reaches about 27.6 in (70 cm).

Related species