TankBud

Goonch catfish

Bagarius bagarius

Also known as Dwarf goonch, Sand shark catfish, Indian Devil Cat

FreshwaterFish

Goonch catfish (Bagarius bagarius)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
7.9 in
20 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Sisoridae
Origin
South and Southeast Asian big rivers

Overview

The goonch catfish, also sold as the dwarf goonch, is a predator for a fast-flowing river tank. It is best left to experienced keepers.

Did you know

River legend blames giant goonch for haunting burning ghats. The real fish needs no folklore to be formidable.

Caring for the goonch catfish

A tank of at least 53 gal (200 L) with strong circulation suits an adult goonch catfish. House it over sand with smooth stone and real flow, and keep oxygen and turnover high.

Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed frozen and prepared meaty foods after dark.

It is still a predator despite its modest size, so house it with fish too large to swallow. It is aggressive and solitary.

Good to know

Bagarius bagarius sits in a genus where size is genuinely unresolved. SeriouslyFish records that the fish widely traded as Bagarius bagarius reaches about 200 millimeters standard length. Specimens cataloged under the name from the Indian subcontinent have been reported to two meters, probably a different species awaiting formal review. FishBase's own page notes that its records for the name are mixed with other species. The giant goonch is Bagarius yarrelli, a public aquarium animal rather than a home one. Bagarius bagarius is told apart from it by the pelvic-fin origin, which sits forward of the last dorsal-fin ray base, not behind it. It is also sold as the sand shark catfish or Indian devil cat.

In the wild

The goonch catfish lives in fast, clear stretches of the large rivers of the Indian subcontinent and Indochina. It holds position on the bottom among boulders and gravel in strong current.

Common questions

What size tank does a goonch catfish need?

A goonch catfish needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a goonch catfish need?

A goonch catfish is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a goonch catfish eat?

A goonch catfish eats frozen and prepared meaty foods. Feed it after dark.

How big does a goonch catfish get?

An adult goonch catfish reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).

Related species