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Rita catfish

Rita rita

Also known as Black rita cat

FreshwaterFish

Rita catfish (Rita rita)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–86°F
22–30°C
pH
6.8–8.0
Adult size
59.1 in
150 cm
Minimum tank
1,057 gal
4,000 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Bagridae
Origin
Ganges, Indus, and Brahmaputra rivers, South Asia

Overview

The Rita catfish is sold as an appealing little juvenile, but it grows into a heavy, blunt-headed river giant. It is a fisheries and public-aquarium animal rather than a pet, for experienced keepers only.

Did you know

The Rita catfish has been a food fish on the great rivers of South Asia far longer than the aquarium hobby has existed. Francis Hamilton formally described it back in 1822.

Caring for the Rita catfish

Plan on a public-scale system of at least 1,057 gal (4,000 L), or do not buy a Rita catfish at all. Only a vast tank or pond can house an adult, which is strong and armored and needs a deep, open floor. Use open sand or fine gravel with a few immovable structures.

Keep the water warm at 72 to 86°F (22 to 30°C), hard-tinged and near neutral to alkaline, at a pH of 6.8 to 8.0. Adults need huge volumes of clean water. Feed meaty foods such as fish, prawn and mussel.

This catfish is an aggressive predator that eats fish and crustaceans, so keep it strictly alone. The small juvenile hides just how large and demanding it becomes. Its breeding is not recorded in aquariums.

Good to know

Rita rita is a bagrid catfish and one of the most heavily built members of the family Bagridae. It has a broad, bony head and strong, serrated spines. Its name is a tautonym, with the genus and species spelled the same.

In the wild

The Rita catfish ranges across the Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra rivers and their estuaries. It holds to deep, turbid channels over mud, and it even tolerates a little brackishness near river mouths.

Common questions

What size tank does a Rita catfish need?

A Rita catfish needs at least 1,057 gal (4,000 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Rita catfish need?

A Rita catfish is comfortable at 72–86°F (22–30°C) with a pH of 6.8–8.0.

What does a Rita catfish eat?

A Rita catfish eats fish and crustaceans. Feed it meaty foods such as fish, prawn and mussel.

How big does a Rita catfish get?

An adult Rita catfish reaches about 59.1 in (150 cm).

Related species