Iridescent shark
Pangasianodon hypophthalmus
Also known as Iridescent shark catfish, Sutchi catfish, Siamese shark, Striped catfish
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F
- 22–26°C
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 39.4 in
- 100 cm
- Minimum tank
- 528 gal
- 2,000 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Pangasiidae
- Origin
- Native to the Mekong and Chao Phraya river basins of Southeast Asia.
Overview
Be honest about the size before buying: those cute silvery 5 cm juveniles grow into a meter-long fish that outgrows almost every home tank and easily reaches 90 cm or more. It is skittish and bolts at sudden movement, often injuring itself against the glass or lid, so it needs a huge, calm tank of at least 2000 liters, really a pond or public aquarium job. It is not aggressive but will swallow anything bite-sized. Only take one on if you can house an animal this big for its 15 to 20 year life.
In the wild
In the wild this is a big-river fish that roams open channels of the Mekong and Chao Phraya in loose shoals, covering long distances. It is an active, midwater swimmer rather than a true bottom hugger, though it feeds along the bottom. It wants a long tank with lots of horizontal swimming room, gentle current, and dim, calm surroundings, at 22 to 26 degrees C.
Good to know
Pangasianodon hypophthalmus reaches around 100 cm in captivity and up to 130 cm and over 40 kg in the wild. It is farmed by the million for food across Southeast Asia, usually sold under the name basa or swai. Poor eyesight and a nervous streak make it prone to panic.
Did you know
The main welfare problem with this fish is not care difficulty but the gap between the 5 cm juvenile in the shop and the meter-long adult it becomes, which is why so many end up rehomed or dead.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Iridescent shark is a mostly peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Mad barb
Leptobarbus hoevenii
Freshwater23.6 in (60 cm) · 317 gal (1,200 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Thunder royal pleco (L027)
Panaque armbrusteri
Freshwater17.7 in (45 cm) · 151 gal (570 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Disk tetra
Myloplus schomburgkii
Freshwater15.7 in (40 cm) · 170 gal (645 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Gold spot sailfin pleco
Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus
Freshwater15.7 in (40 cm) · 119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Tor mahseer
Tor tor
Freshwater59.1 in (150 cm) · 502 gal (1,900 L)61–77°F (16–25°C)
African butter catfish
Schilbe intermedius
Freshwater19.7 in (50 cm) · 264 gal (1,000 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Iridescent shark need?
An Iridescent shark needs at least 528 gal (2,000 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does an Iridescent shark need?
An Iridescent shark is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.
How big does an Iridescent shark get?
An adult Iridescent shark reaches about 39.4 in (100 cm).
Does an Iridescent shark need a group?
Yes. An Iridescent shark is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
118.1 in (300 cm)2,113 gal (8,000 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Paroon shark
Pangasius sanitwongsei
118.1 in (300 cm) · 2,113 gal (8,000 L)
39.4 in (100 cm)238 gal (900 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Elephant knifefish
Rhamphichthys rostratus
39.4 in (100 cm) · 238 gal (900 L)
39.4 in (100 cm)132 gal (500 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Fire eel
Mastacembelus erythrotaenia
39.4 in (100 cm) · 132 gal (500 L)
39.4 in (100 cm)528 gal (2,000 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Marbled sailfin pim
Leiarius marmoratus
39.4 in (100 cm) · 528 gal (2,000 L)
38.2 in (97 cm)264 gal (1,000 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Congo bichir
Polypterus congicus
38.2 in (97 cm) · 264 gal (1,000 L)
35.4 in (90 cm)185 gal (700 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Nile bottlenose mormyrid
Mormyrus kannume
35.4 in (90 cm) · 185 gal (700 L)