What to feed pangasius in an aquarium. Aquarium shark catfish Pangasius. Good aquarium neighbors for pangasius will be

Pangasius (Pangasius hypophthalmus, family Pangasiidae). This fish has many names given by aquarists: Siamese catfish, shark catfish, freshwater shark, pangasius siamese, etc., but most often they are still called sharks and there is a good reason for this - the striking external similarity of this type of catfish with a terrible sea predator , makes it quite popular among those who like to place some kind of exotic in their aquarium. The homeland of shark catfish is Southeast Asia, the waters of the Mekong and Chao Phraya rivers. This species of catfish has been a commercial fish in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam for more than a hundred years.

The habitat of pangasius is very extensive, and in its natural habitat this fish is extremely prolific - adult individuals spawn 2-3 times a year, while the female is capable of laying up to a million eggs, so shark catfish is not considered an endangered species. Despite the fact that pangasius has gained popularity among aquarists due to its shark-like appearance, there are no decorative subspecies of this fish; all the juveniles supplied to aquarium fish sellers are two natural subspecies of shark catfish:

Pangasius beani, also known as Siamese or high-finned pangasius.

Pangasius sutchi or low-finned sutchi.

Description of Pangaisus

Pangasius beani or high-finned pangasius has a dense, elongated muscular body without scales with a small flat head and a large (or rather, huge) mouth, which, in combination with a high and sharp, triangular dorsal fin and the same sharp upper blade of the caudal fin, gives this catfish a simply unimaginable resemblance to a shark, for which it is called shark catfish or freshwater shark. The color of the high-finned pangasius is uniformly gray, slightly lighter towards the belly.

Young individuals have a pair of horizontal stripes along the body from the gills to the caudal fin, but as they grow older, these stripes disappear, the color becomes uniform and often darkens somewhat. The fins (except the dorsal) are usually silver in color with a contrasting black or dark gray edging.

In its natural habitat, this fish reaches almost one and a half meters in length and gains a weight of more than forty kilograms; in an aquarium, it usually grows to 50-70 cm, but there have also been meter-long specimens, so calling this dwarf shark is not entirely correct, unless, of course, don't compare it to a great white or whale shark. Adults are most often solitary, but they also feel good in a flock of relatives, each of which requires a minimum of 250-300 liters of space. Omnivore, prefers protein foods.

Pangasius sutchi – low-finned sutchi differs from the high-finned shark catfish primarily in its dorsal fin, which in this subspecies is shorter and has a rounded end. The second noticeable difference is the mouth; it is much smaller than that of its high-finned counterpart with the same proportions of head and body.

The color of the Sutchi is also different, it is more contrasting - almost black on the back and silver on the belly; along the entire body there are contrasting horizontal stripes that fade with age of the fish, but unlike the high-finned pangasius, they do not disappear at all. The fins are light gray or silver, with a clear black edge. There is an opinion that the low-finned shark catfish is a decorative species that reaches a length of no more than 30-40 cm, but this is not so; in its natural habitat, the low-finned shark catfish is inferior in size to the high-finned shark catfish - only about the same 30-40 cm and often reaches a length of about half a meter in an aquarium. This is an active schooling fish that prefers to be in the company of five to six individuals, each of which should have 150-200 liters of water space. Omnivorous, quite peaceful, but will hunt small neighbors.

The lifespan of shark catfish is up to 20 years.

Pet store sellers often modestly keep silent about the real dimensions of this fish, pointing to microsharks happily splashing around in a fifty-liter aquarium, without mentioning that these are fry that will grow five to six times in less than a year. Some completely unscrupulous sellers claim that this is a peaceful fish that only needs a small aquarium - just what a novice aquarist needs, but this is not at all true. In the following sections we will try to explain this.

Maintenance and care of shark catfish pangasius

The shark catfish (both of its subspecies described above) is not a territorial fish, so in an aquarium it will not choose its favorite grotto or bush of vegetation. Pangasius will simply take up the entire volume, and it doesn’t matter what kind of home you give it. Whether it is 500 liters or 2.5 tons, the entire water area will belong only to these fish. The indoor shark, like its marine prototype, is in constant motion and searching for food, while staying in the middle and upper layers of water. A graceful and imposing swaying of the tail fin can instantly turn into an elusive throw across a good half of the aquarium. It should be noted that pangasius by nature has very weak eyesight and an equally weak nervous system, is extremely timid and can, due to stress, begin to rush chaotically around the aquarium, injuring itself on decorations and glass, demolishing equipment and turning everything upside down. Even habitual and harmless tapping on glass can provoke such a breakdown, which will entail long-term treatment of the skin with unprotected fish scales. In critical situations, a shark catfish can pretend to be dead, naturally fainting and changing color to a deathly pallor. However, this feature does not make it harmless to other inhabitants of the aquarium, especially the high-finned pangasius, which prefers live, fresh fish in its diet.

The high-finned house shark is capable of swallowing prey that is only a third smaller in size, so keeping this subspecies with other fish is unsafe for the latter, unless they are larger in size. The low-finned Sutchie is not so dangerous for his neighbors due to the structure and size of his mouth - he simply cannot swallow a medium-sized fish, but small fish such as guppies, thorns and neons, as well as any medium-sized juveniles, can become a desired dessert for Sutchie. There is almost no intraspecific aggression, with the exception of harmless fights between Sutchi males when establishing hierarchy in the flock. The high-finned house shark prefers dim light and dark water, while its low-finned relative will be happy with a brightly lit pond.

If, after reading all of the above, you still decide to purchase this difficult fish as a pet, let’s move on to the issues of its maintenance.

The first thing that needs to be described in this section is the required aquarium volume for a given fish. Young specimens of shark catfish that have not reached their starting fifteen centimeters, after which they will begin to grow right before our eyes, can be kept in a relatively small volume - 150-200 liters per individual, but after just a few months this will no longer be enough. The minimum comfortable volume for a young pair of high-finned shark catfish is 450-500 liters, and adult specimens that have reached a size of over half a meter will already require an apartment of 1.3 - 1.5 tons of free volume for living. The low-finned Suchi is less demanding on the size of living space per individual, but they must be kept in a flock of 5 tails or more, which leads to the need for the same volumes of water area, exceeding a ton. It should be noted that the volume of the aquarium does not in any way affect the growth rate and final dimensions of the shark catfish, so the assurances of some sellers that “they will not grow large in a hundred-liter aquarium” are far from the truth. They will grow up. And fast. Therefore, weigh and consider your decision to purchase this fish several times.

If you have the aquarium volumes necessary for shark catfish, then maintaining it will not be difficult - this fish is unpretentious, omnivorous, insensitive to the Gh and Ph parameters of water, and feels great in the temperature range from 22 to 28 degrees Celsius. Pangasius is able to breathe atmospheric air and tolerate the lack of oxygen dissolved in water for a long time, however, it is not advisable to abuse this ability and you will have to organize moderate aeration in your aquarium. But the purity of the water is crucial; the indoor shark cannot tolerate excess organic matter and chemical impurities in its habitat. Excessive nitrate and nitrogen compounds in the aquarium will lead to illness and rapid death of the pangasius, so special attention should be paid to sufficient filtration and organization of flow in your artificial reservoir. Weekly soil cleaning and water changes in a volume of at least 30% are also necessary, however, these changes should be made in several stages with breaks, since a sharp change in the composition and temperature of the water will cause stress in the shark catfish. Based on the fact that these freshwater sharks spend almost their entire lives in motion, the shape of the aquarium should be elongated in length and provide sufficient space for free swimming. Decorations can be large stones and snags that do not have sharp corners and edges that can injure the skin of a shark catfish that is not protected by scales. The decorations need to be arranged compactly, leaving plenty of space for free swimming of aquarium sharks. The soil needs a fine or medium fraction, rounded, preferably dark tones - this way these fish are calmer. The high-finned pangasius is best kept in a species aquarium, but it is still quite dangerous for other inhabitants. If the volume of your reservoir allows and you want to see some species diversity, then it is recommended to select fish of comparable size and capable of fending for themselves as neighbors. Large cichlids, black pacu, and large species of bottom-dwelling catfish are suitable. The latter, by the way, will also serve as orderlies, picking up leftover food from the bottom. He also copes well with this role. It is best to select plants for an aquarium with pangasius that have a very strong root system or plant them in pots buried in the ground.

The low-finned Suchi differs little from its high-finned relative in its habitat requirements. Perhaps because it prefers to be in a flock of relatives and is not so dangerous for medium-sized neighbors. Sutchi can be kept in the same aquarium, for example, with medium and large cichlids, , large , , .

Feeding pangasius - shark catfish

All pangasius are omnivores; in their natural habitat, their main diet consists of protein foods: larvae, insects, mollusks, worms and fish. It is recommended to feed young specimens in the aquarium with large bloodworms, tubifex, pieces of frozen fish, and finely chopped veal. Vitamin supplements are welcome, for example, in the form of scalded lettuce, spinach, young zucchini, and even cereal porridge. It is advisable to feed in dim lighting, so these catfish feel calmer. House sharks are just as voracious and insatiable as sea predators, so they are prone to overeating and obesity, and they should be fed two or three times a day, in portions, calculating the food so that it is eaten by pets in just a minute. It should be noted that even though pangasius is a catfish, it prefers to take food from the water column, almost never lifting it from the bottom, so everything that is not eaten immediately will fall to the ground and pollute the water if there are no neighbors in the bottom layer in the aquarium . For the health of your pets, one day a week should be a fasting day, combining it with soil cleaning and water changes. Of course, the fasting day will remain so unless you place the shark catfish in the same aquarium with its neighbors of inferior size. Please note that dry food (flakes and granules) are not entirely suitable for feeding pangasius, so it is better not to use them. With age, the aquarium shark loses its teeth and gradually switches to plant foods.

Feeding aquarium fish must be correct: balanced, varied. This fundamental rule is the key to the successful keeping of any fish, be it guppies or astronotuses. The article talks about this in detail, it outlines the basic principles of the diet and feeding regime for fish.

In this article, we note the most important thing - feeding fish should not be monotonous; the diet should include both dry food and live food. In addition, you need to take into account the gastronomic preferences of a particular fish and, depending on this, include in its diet food either with the highest protein content or, conversely, with plant ingredients.

Popular and popular food for fish, of course, is dry food. For example, you can find food from the Tetra company, the leader of the Russian market, on aquarium shelves all the time and everywhere; in fact, the range of food from this company is amazing. Tetra’s “gastronomic arsenal” includes individual food for a specific type of fish: goldfish, cichlids, loricariids, guppies, labyrinths, arowanas, discus, etc. Tetra has also developed specialized foods, for example, to enhance color, fortified, or for feeding fry. You can find out detailed information about all Tetra feeds on the company’s official website -

It should be noted that when purchasing any dry food, you should pay attention to the date of its manufacture and shelf life, try not to buy food in bulk, and also store the food in a closed state - this will help avoid the development of pathogenic flora in it.

Reproduction and breeding of pangasius

Pangasius in nature is an anadromous fish that migrates hundreds of kilometers upstream to spawn, and then the same hundreds of kilometers downstream in search of food, so it is not possible to create conditions for the spawning of these fish in an artificial decorative reservoir. On fish farms, pangasius spawning is stimulated hormonally, in shallow ponds with an area of ​​500 square meters or more.

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All of the above is just the fruit of observing this type of aquarium fish and collecting various information from owners and breeders. We would like to share with visitors not only information, but also with live emotions, allowing you to penetrate the world of aquariums more fully and subtly. Register on, participate in discussions on the forum, create profile topics where you will talk about your pets in the first person and first-hand, describe their habits, behavior and content, share with us your successes and joys, share and learn from experience others. We are interested in every bit of your experience, every second of your joy, every awareness of a mistake, which makes it possible for your comrades to avoid the same mistake. The more of us there are, the more pure and transparent drops of goodness there are in the life and everyday life of our seven billion society.

Shark catfish pangasius video review

Content:

Pangasius is a very interesting freshwater fish. The catfish lives in the waters of Asia (its habitat is in the southeast), and is also found in the Chao Phraya and Mekong rivers and Lake Tonle Sap. In some countries, this creature is bred for commercial purposes, and is also one of the exotic dishes on restaurant menus.

Pangasius has fins whose color ranges from dark gray to black. In total, pangasius has six fin-rays. Adult pangasius individuals are characterized by a gray color, while young pangasius is distinguished by two black stripes. The mouth and abdomen have a silvery tint. Pangasius also has a middle anal fin marked with dark stripes, and large gill plates in pangasius alternate with relatively small plates. Females are somewhat larger than males and are also paler in color.

Characteristic features: flattened head, fairly large mouth, two pairs of mustaches, large eyes. Externally, pangasius looks almost like a shark, which is why it is also called shark catfish. The dorsal fin is shark-shaped, the caudal fin is two-lobed. The anal fin is quite long.

Types of fish

Pangasius aquarium is represented by only two species: one shark catfish has low fins, the second catfish has high fins. Because of this, it is not particularly difficult to distinguish the varieties of pangasius from each other, since the difference lies only in the fins. The differences between the species are noticeable even in the fry (note that the fry of pangasius grows up to 15-20 cm). In addition to the features associated with the fins, the high-finned pangasius is characterized by a more solid coloration. Pangasius, with low fins, looks different - it is a fish with a pair of light stripes on the sides.

But perhaps the most noticeable difference that distinguishes one species of pangasius from another is the mouth. Pangasius with low fins has a small mouth. For this reason, this pangasius is a very peaceful aquarium fish. If you come across a pangasius with high fins, then keep in mind that this fish has a large mouth, therefore, it is better not to put other fish in the same aquarium with such an underwater inhabitant: they simply will not survive there.

Features of behavior

Shark catfish, or pangasius, is a cautious and timid fish. And if any shocks occur (for example, in the places where the fish are usually found, the habitat changes due to external influences; either the shark moves to another aquarium, or neighbors move in), then the pangasius simply freezes. The pangasius catfish maintains this immobility for a certain period of time (relatively short). Sometimes in this position the pangasius even looks like a dead one. But as soon as the fish completely gets used to the situation, the following is observed: the shark catfish continues to lead its usual, rather active lifestyle.

We have already noted that pangasius, which has low fins, is quite peaceful. Pangasius accepts labeo, barbs, rainbowfish and some other fish as neighbors. It’s just that when selecting neighbors, it is important to assume that the pangasius is not too large for them. Otherwise, any neighboring fish may suffer in a conflict, because the pangasius catfish in question carries a potential danger.

Please note that the underwater inhabitant in question is susceptible to various types of poisoning, as well as peptic ulcers. However, this can be successfully combated. Thus, for ulcers, cauterization with malachite green potassium or crystals of potassium permanganate should be recommended. After such cauterization, you need to place the aquarium inhabitants in a brackish solution (prepared at the rate of about a gram of table salt per liter of water) for one week. As for poisoning, if it occurs, it is necessary to organize daily fasting and a subsequent protein diet.

The content of pangasius of one and the second species in the aquarium is not fundamentally different. So, pangasius prefers that the water temperature for living in the aquarium in any case should not be more than 27 degrees, the optimal option is 25-26 degrees. Acceptable water hardness is from 2 to 15 degrees, and the acidity that pangasius accepts in an aquarium is from 6.5 to 8.0.

It is very important that the water containing pangasius is constantly filtered. Pangasius also needs a plentiful supply of air.

These underwater inhabitants require a sufficient amount of space, which will be free from unnecessary decorations. Then the inhabitants of the underwater world will be able to swim freely. It is very important that the container does not contain any kind of elements with sharp edges. The fact is that pangasius sometimes makes sudden movements, and therefore can seriously injure its body.

In general, the shark catfish loves space, and therefore the pangasius swims very briskly throughout the entire area of ​​​​the aquarium.

As for the proper volume of water in the aquarium, this should be based on the number of individuals and their size. So, for the high-finned pangasius, which is quite large, solitary living is quite comfortable. Pangasius, with its low fins, is essentially a schooling fish.

In any case, it is important to cover the aquarium with a lid so that the pangasius does not jump out during one of its scares.

When feeding, it is very important not to overfeed the pangasius. It is even useful if once a week the pangasius does not eat at all for the entire day. But keep in mind that this small shark is a very voracious fish, and therefore, due to inexperience, it is sometimes fed too much. The diet that pangasius eats is based on low-fat fish, squid, and dry food. As a rule, such a shark eats from the surface. The low-finned pangasius also collects food from the bottom, but for the high-finned pangasius this behavior is practically uncharacteristic, so it will need to select good helper neighbors who prefer to rummage in the ground.

If we talk about specific food, it could be: bloodworms, tubifex, lean fish (as already noted; it can be given both frozen and live), squid (which was also noted), chopped veal, beef heart are suitable.

Fans of marine ichthyofauna could not help but pay attention to sharks, and are very surprised when they see a small copy of it in a pet store. How did it happen that the majestic marine predator ended up in a freshwater aquarium? The answer is simple - it’s not a shark at all, but just a catfish very similar to it.

Pangasius are representatives of the family of shark catfish (lat. Pangasiidae) and the order of catfish (lat. Siluriformes). The family has 4 genera and 23 species, but only 3 are found in the aquarium hobby. For the most part, pangasius are large fish, growing up to 3.5 meters and weighing 300 kg. It is not surprising that they are of commercial importance. Shark catfish are native to the rivers of South Asian countries.

Aquarium pangasius are somewhat smaller: their sizes do not exceed a meter and are generally 50-60 cm. Despite this, the fish still remains very impressive and requires special living conditions.

High-finned pangasius.

Description

Externally, aquarium shark catfish are similar, and the species can be determined by color.

These are mainly active, nervous fish that inhabit the upper and middle layers of the aquarium. Their flattened head has large eyes, a huge mouth and two pairs of antennae. The body itself is torpedo-shaped, slightly flattened on the sides. The anal fin is long and fringed from the middle of the body to the base of the caudal peduncle. The dorsal fin is located in the front of the body, raised up.

The shark catfish got its name because of its body shape, reminiscent of a shark, and also because of its fast, swift swimming style. Juvenile pangasius are gregarious and actively prowl in search of food, swim in circles, and generally cannot spend even a minute without moving. The silver color further enhances the feeling that this is not a freshwater fish, but a real shark.

However, with age, the behavior of pangasius changes somewhat - their swimming style becomes calm and measured, they begin to grow not in length, but in breadth, and their resemblance to a shark gradually disappears.

In total, the aquarium hobby contains 3 types of shark catfish:

• Pangasius highfin(Latin: Pangasius sanitwongsei, English: Paroon Shark). A large fish, when juvenile it has a dark silver color, which becomes lighter with age.
  This shark catfish will not feel comfortable alone, so it is recommended to start a school of 3-4 fish. Considering that they grow up to a meter, one can understand why the high-finned pangasius is practically never found in home aquariums.
• Siamese pangasius(Latin: Pangasionodon hypophthalmus, English: Iridescent Shark Catfish). In nature it is quite large, but aquarium specimens rarely exceed 60 cm. Juveniles are bluish in color, with 2 silver stripes along the body on each side. The abdomen is light. As the fish ages, the color of the fish darkens. Only young specimens are suitable for aquarium keeping.
• Pangasius minor ( lat. Рseudolais pleurotaenia, English, Shortbarbel Pangasius). A relatively small shark catfish, growing up to 30-35 cm. The whiskers of this fish are very short, and the color is bright, silver. They prefer to be nocturnal, hiding behind vertical shelters during the day.

Not every seller may be aware of the size of adult fish, so you should be extremely vigilant when purchasing.

Siamese pangasius.

• When talking about pangasius, you should first of all remember how big this fish grows. Young shark catfish grow very rapidly, and soon outgrow the home aquarium. Speaking about the size of the container for pangasius, one thing can be said: the larger the better!
• Unlike solitary sea sharks, these catfish are schooling fish, and without a group they begin to get lost, stressed and rush from side to side, making their already restless behavior more nervous. It is recommended to start a school of 2-3 fish. An aquarium for a group of adult Siamese pangasius should exceed 600 liters and be wide and long. A high-finned pangasius will require a container of more than a ton.
• Shark catfish is a very timid fish, and when frightened, it begins to rush hysterically from side to side, flying into equipment and other fish. This behavior is a source of stress for everyone, so the aquarium with pangasius should be in a quiet place.
• These fish are prone to jumping out of the aquarium, so the container should be equipped with a lid or cover glass.
• Such large fish consume a lot of food, oxygen and produce a large amount of waste products, so the aquarium must be equipped with powerful filtration and aeration systems. Pangasius also does not like dirty, old water, so do not forget about weekly massive changes of up to 40%.
• The interior for shark catfish to live in must be suitably equipped. It is important to remember that pangasius is an impulsive fish, and when frightened it can fly into equipment or get entangled in plants, thereby causing harm to itself. It is best to decorate the bottom, leaving the water column free for swimming. Smooth stones and low-growing plants are used to decorate the aquarium.

• temperature: 22-26 °C;
• acidity: 6.5-7.5 pH;
• hardness: 2-30 °dH.

Albino form of Siamese pangasius.

Nutrition

Pangasius lead a predominantly predatory lifestyle and willingly swallow everything that gets into their mouth. They take special pleasure in eating small fish, chopped squid meat, shrimp and sea fish. He won’t refuse floating dry food pellets either.

Although this fish is called the shark catfish, you should not expect cat-like behavior from it. Pangasius rarely sinks to the bottom and picks up leftover food, as it prefers to feed afloat. If underfed, it can demonstrate aggressive behavior, attacking neighbors in the aquarium.

Breeding

Pangasius does not reproduce in an aquarium, and all commercially available fish come from Southeast Asian countries. There they are kept in large ponds. To stimulate spawning, producers are given pituitary injections.

Compatibility

Compatibility issues should be approached very carefully. While pangasius are small, they do not seem to pose a threat to other fish. They can swim peacefully with a school of barbs or maneuver between angelfish. But peaceful behavior lasts until the pangasius understands that its neighbor is potentially very tasty and can fit into the mouth, which, by the way, is very large in the shark catfish.

Thus, good neighbors for pangasius will be large ones: three-hybrid parrot, astronotus, citron cichlasoma, etc.

You can also consider proximity to other large Asian fish, for example, or.

Shark catfish is a very active fish with a torpedo-shaped body, a slightly flattened head with large coal-black moving eyes. The resemblance of pangasius to a small shark is striking.

Adult fish are dark in color, only the belly is silvery. Young catfish have three or four gray stripes along their bodies; at this age, the fish are brighter and silvery.

What to feed pangasius

Pangasius are very voracious, eating everything that fits into their mouth. Insect larvae, worms, scraped meat, fish, shrimp, plant foods, many types of cereals (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal), boiled potatoes and even high-quality cat food - this is not a complete list of possible food for this catfish. Such a catfish will never be full, so the main thing is not to overfeed it and leave one day a week as a fasting day.

Pangasius aquarium catfish is susceptible to ulcerative diseases and poisoning. For ulcers, it is recommended to use cauterization with crystals of potassium permanganate or malachite green and then keeping the fish in a brackish solution (up to 1 g of table salt per 1 liter of water) for a week. The best remedy for poisoning is daily fasting followed by a protein diet.

In nature, pangasius catfish grows up to 1.5 meters in length. In spacious aquariums - 20-30 cm, and in containers of 80-100 liters its length will be even less. If the aquarium is less than 80 liters, then it is better to refrain from purchasing these catfish, as they should have a lot of space for swimming.

Shark catfish photo

Shark catfish: maintenance and care

It is better to decorate a pond for this fish in a stone-drift style. You don’t have to plant it - the catfish will dig it up anyway. Or plant them in pots, which are also well secured in the ground. Snags and stones should not have sharp corners, since catfish can get injured during their rapid movements.

The optimal water temperature for keeping pangasius aquarium fish is +24-+30 ºС, hardness 2-15 º, pH 6.5-8. Filtration, aeration and water changes by a quarter of the volume weekly are required.

Fed fish are quite peaceful, but on a fasting day they can eat small fish that fit in their mouth. Therefore, it is better to keep them with various cichlids, large barbs, in a word, with those who will not be offended.

albino form

It is necessary to change the water very carefully. When more than a quarter of the volume is replaced, catfish may go into a state of shock. They turn pale and stand for a long time with their heads buried in a stone or snag, wriggling a little with their whole body. Catfish also behave when transplanted from one container to another. These procedures require darkening and good aeration.

The shark catfish reaches puberty only at four years of age. Females are larger than males and noticeably paler in color. No one has yet succeeded in breeding these catfish in aquarium conditions.

Other names for this fish: Siamese pangasius, freshwater shark.

Shark catfish: video

Aquarists strive to ensure that domestic aquatic inhabitants are as interesting and exotic as possible, and that the atmosphere of the underwater world itself becomes more and more reminiscent of the natural one. The effect is aimed at ensuring that the aquarium leaves an unforgettable impression of its interior and its inhabitants. And one of these can safely include pangasius - shark catfish, or as they are also called high-finned shark catfish (Pangasius sanitwongsei or Pangasius beani). They are also called challenger or Siamese shark catfish (Pangasius sutchi). Yes, this dwarf shark - pangasius, will not leave anyone indifferent, especially since it reaches an impressive size even by aquarium standards. The fish is not yet a katran, but it is no longer a catfish, which is very clearly visible in the photo.

General description of the fish

Such specimens are not found in our latitudes and depths. These are “foreigners”, originally from Southeast Asia. Shark catfish have their own history there, and for the peoples of the east they are a commercial fish. In nature, it reaches sizes of up to one and a half meters and can weigh up to 100 kg. Delicacies are prepared from it in sushi bars. The nature of the existence of catfish in our surroundings is different. Here she is destined for the fate of an ornamental fish and life in aquariums.

Since pangasius is very reminiscent of a sea predator, it is happily kept by aquarists who love everything unusual and exotic. The fish requires a special aquarium so that the 50-70 centimeter inhabitant has room to turn around. After all, by nature, shark catfish is a very active fish. Look at her photo or video, and you will understand that the restless shark catfish is in constant motion and, characteristically, in a school. Yes, this is a schooling fish, and without its relatives it will be very uncomfortable. Young catfish are colored silver-gray, with dark horizontal stripes located on the sides.

How to properly keep a decorative shark

Those who are interested in aquariums should know that shark catfish, due to their fussiness and timidity, must be kept in special conditions. Reaching a length of more than half a meter, the fish must live in spacious aquariums, larger in length than in width and with a volume of at least 400 liters. The scenery is for spectators only, i.e. compact, not throughout the aquarium. And for aquatic pets there is as much space as possible; they need space and freedom of movement. Large adult specimens have to be kept in public aquariums, which are placed in large rooms, and their length is much larger than a home aquarium, as well as their volume, which reaches several thousand liters. Young aquarium catfish can live in containers over a meter long, but the "dwarf shark" grows quickly and they will need a new "home" very soon.

Note to fish holders: shark catfish can make sudden movements and throws, and in order to avoid injury, it is necessary to remove all sharp objects.

Feeding shark catfish

The freshwater shark, as Siamese catfish are called, lives up to its name because, like sea sharks, it is not picky about food and is very voracious. Therefore, it is best to feed them:

• bloodworm;
• tubifex;
• chopped veal;
• frozen and live fish;
• beef heart.

All food should have a lot of protein. Dry food is not very suitable for these fish, and it also heavily pollutes the water in the aquarium. There is a peculiarity of pangasius: they are omnivores, but they can only catch and eat food that is not on the surface or at the bottom of the aquarium, but in the water column, where they like to be. In this regard, it is worth taking care that uneaten food does not accumulate at the bottom of the container, and to do this, breed the type of fish that is capable of picking up leftover food from the bottom. Sometimes pangasius refuse to eat due to the bright lighting of the container. It would be appropriate to dim the lighting to normalize the fish's behavior and food intake. Old ornamental sharks lose their teeth and begin to eat plant foods:

• soft lettuce leaves;
• chopped zucchini;
• grated cucumbers;
• porridge;
• crushed boiled potatoes.

A separate line worth noting is the temperature and salt regime in the aquarium. The optimal water temperature was determined - from room temperature to 27C. You should monitor hardness and acidity, this is also determined. Weekly 1/3 of the water must be renewed. Be sure to saturate the water with oxygen. Without these conditions, the shark catfish will not be able to feel comfortable in the aquarium.

How catfish behave with their aquarium mates

Shark catfish live in schools; young individuals especially like to frolic in schools. The “dwarf shark” is quite peaceful and does not attack neighbors of another species, unless of course they are small fish, which the shark catfish easily mistakes for food. He is timid, despite his size, and for some reason he can suddenly and sharply turn around, hitting the walls of the aquarium or trying to jump out, which is often accompanied by injury. Various large barbs, knifefish, labeos, cichlids, and comparable polypteruses are quite suitable for companionship with an aquarium micro-shark. With regular and nutritious food, you can add iris, gourami, etc. to pangasius.

The behavior of catfish is very spontaneous, and watching them brings a lot of pleasure. Firstly, aquarium catfish really resemble sharks. And secondly, they scurry around in the foreground all the time, as if waiting for the owner. And when a person approaches, they are likely to react to him.

Is captive breeding possible?

Experienced aquarists notice a certain sentimentality behind aquarium catfish, because catfish can pretend to “faint” when frightened. They freeze in place or in a corner of the aquarium. To avoid surprises you should:

1. Keep the lighting low-key.
2. Maintain ideal temperature and salt conditions.

You should not dramatize when aquarium catfish, when they find themselves in a new environment, suddenly faint or pretend to be dead. This will last no more than half an hour. Then, having discovered that the catfish are not in danger, they begin to settle in and will soon get used to their new “home”.

At home, shark catfish do not reproduce. Pangasius is imported from its homeland.
If you engage in fish breeding, then only in appropriate aquariums, under a special regime. Egg deposition is possible in very dense thickets. After 2 days, the fry are hatched and fed with zooplankton. Adult aquarium fish must be fed very nutritiously so that they do not eat the young ones. Pangasius spawns from early summer to late autumn. You should be attentive to the health of your pets and not overfeed, because... this leads to obesity and disease - you can even implement fasting for a couple of days a week. It is also necessary to monitor the composition of the water. It is also worth noting that ulcers and poisoning occur in catfish. Ulcers are treated with potassium permanganate or brilliant green, and in case of poisoning, a protein diet or fasting is prescribed.