TankBud

Walking catfish

Clarias batrachus

FreshwaterFish

Walking catfish (Clarias batrachus)
Mistvan · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–79°F
20–26°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
23.6 in
60 cm
Minimum tank
600 gal
2,270 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Clariidae
Origin
Southeast Asia

Overview

The walking catfish is a big, hardy, air-breathing bottom dweller for a very large, securely covered tank. It is a fish for a keeper with some experience and plenty of space.

Did you know

The walking catfish can haul itself across land on its stiff pectoral spines, wriggling from side to side to reach new water. It sometimes travels well away from any pond. Released outside its range, it has become a serious invasive pest, notably in Florida.

Caring for the walking catfish

The walking catfish grows large and needs a very big tank, at least 600 gal (2,270 L). Give it a soft substrate, strong filtration and hiding places.

Its most important need is security. It is a powerful escape artist that can wriggle out of an open tank and even move across the floor. Fit a tight, weighted lid.

Keep the water at 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. It tolerates a wide range of water. Leave an air gap at the surface so it can breathe. Feed meaty sinking foods such as pellets, prawn, mussel, fish and earthworms, and avoid overfeeding this greedy fish.

The walking catfish is calm with large tank mates but highly predatory toward anything it can swallow. Keep it only with big, robust companions. It can live alone or with its own kind, given plenty of room. It breeds readily in the wild, guarding its eggs in a nest.

Good to know

The walking catfish belongs to Clariidae, the airbreathing catfishes, and has a large, elongate body. Tree-shaped accessory breathing organs sit behind its gills. They let it take oxygen straight from the air, so it can survive out of water. The common aquarium form is an albino.

In the wild

The walking catfish is native to Southeast Asia. It lives in still and slow-moving shallow water such as swamps, ditches, ponds and rice paddies. These waters are often warm, muddy and low in oxygen.

Common questions

What size tank does a walking catfish need?

A walking catfish needs at least 600 gal (2,270 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a walking catfish need?

A walking catfish is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a walking catfish eat?

A walking catfish eats meaty sinking foods such as pellets, prawn, mussel, fish and earthworms. It is a greedy feeder, so avoid overfeeding it.

How big does a walking catfish get?

An adult walking catfish reaches about 23.6 in (60 cm).

How does a walking catfish breed?

Walking catfish breed readily in the wild, and they guard their eggs in a nest.

Related species