The shark catfish does not live with anyone. Freshwater catfish shark or Siamese pangasius. Compatibility and behavioral characteristics

Pangasius (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) was described in 1878, but this catfish has been familiar to people for many hundreds of years. In Southeast Asia it is an important commercial fish. Catfish comes from the Mekong River basin, as well as the Chao Phraya River, and is distributed mainly in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Fish have also been artificially bred in other rivers of Southeast Asia for commercial purposes. Young fish gather in schools and are found in large numbers at the mouths of large rivers. In the wild, they feed on fish, shrimp and various crustaceans, insect larvae, fruits and other vegetation.
Shark catfish are widely available in the retail trade, especially in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand or Laos, where the catfish is used as an important food source. In Thailand it is also popular among aquarists; the European and American markets sell young specimens that do not grow to their maximum size in an aquarium.

Requirements and conditions:

  • Aquarium volume - from 400 l.
  • Temperature - 22–26°C
  • pH value - 6.5 - 7.5
  • Water hardness - from very soft to medium hardness (2–15 dH)
  • Substrate type - any
  • Lighting - moderate
  • Brackish water - no
  • Water movement - moderate

Fish parameters:

  • Size - 100 cm.
  • Food - any food
  • Life expectancy - up to 20 years

Description

An adult reaches a length of a meter (100 cm), but in an aquarium it may be less; in the wild, catfish over 130 cm are not uncommon, and some subspecies of Pangasius grow more than 3 meters. The catfish, with its body shape, resembles a sea shark, has a laterally compressed body and a large caudal fin, a short fin on the back with one or two spines, and there are also spines on the pectoral fins. Unlike other catfish, the fish does not have bony protective plates on the skin or other “armor”, which makes it easily damaged, leaving the fish susceptible to infection. The body color is silvery with two distinct dark stripes along the body, one along the lateral line, the other below. With age, the color becomes more uniform - dark gray.
There are several color variations, in particular the albino Pangasius; you can also find on sale an artificially bred form of fish with a large short body.

Nutrition

The rainbow catfish is an omnivorous fish; if possible, it can catch small fish. As the fish ages, it loses its teeth and becomes a vegetarian. In a home aquarium, it will be a pleasure to eat all types of live, meat and plant products, as well as dry industrial food (pellets, flakes, etc.). To maintain a good balance, it is necessary to provide high-quality feed two to three times a day, in an amount that the catfish can consume within 5-10 minutes. Earthworms, brine shrimp, and crickets, both live and frozen, can be an excellent addition to food.

Shark catfish are unpretentious to the chemical composition of the water, but prefer a neutral pH level, so if the aquarium is not equipped with a sufficiently efficient filter, it is recommended to replace 25% of the water in the aquarium on a weekly basis.
Due to its size, the fish requires a spacious aquarium of at least 400 liters with space for swimming. The design should resemble natural habitats - driftwood, grottoes or caves made of river rocks. The structures should not rise too much above the bottom of the aquarium so as not to interfere with swimming, since the fish prefers the middle layers of water. Juveniles, on the contrary, require shelter, hiding under snags.
The fish is prone to jumping out of the aquarium - a lid is required; in addition, due to its size, the catfish can damage internal equipment (filter, heater, etc.), care should be taken to securely fasten them. Large fish produce a large amount of waste, so productive filters will greatly simplify fish keeping, and low plants with a strong root system will minimize the load on the biological filter.

Social behavior

Juveniles prefer to stay in a school; with age, catfish become more and more isolated, but the need for the company of their own kind remains, so it is recommended to keep 3-4 fish in the aquarium. An important feature is that the fish has poor eyesight and when frightened, it begins to rush around the aquarium, colliding with other fish, against the glass, and the design of the aquarium. It is not uncommon for a catfish to be severely injured in a collision. Peaceful fish are compatible with other large species, but for small species, catfish pose a direct danger.

Breeding/reproduction

In adulthood, males and females are practically indistinguishable, only at a young age in females dark stripes appear more clearly in color. Breeding is not possible in home aquariums; the fish is a migratory species. During spawning (late spring early summer), catfish travel long distances upstream; such conditions cannot be replicated in aquariums. Catfish are bred in large ponds in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand and Singapore, or the young are caught in the wild.

Diseases

Peculiarities

  • Aquarium at least 400 liters
  • Large fish size
  • Delicate skin, easily injured

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 pond. 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 foods (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.

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.

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

Shark catfish are native to Thailand. It is popularly called pangasius siamese, aquarium shark or Colombian shark. There are two types - an aggressive predator (large) and an aquarium predator (small). With proper care, they can grow up to 60 cm. Fish reproduce only if they have appropriate maintenance.

Description

Shark catfish are similar in appearance to killer whales. The head is slightly flattened, the body is long, the mouth is with a mustache, the eyes are round, convex and large. There is a dorsal fin, exactly like a shark's, and a tail with two blades. Look what a young shark catfish looks like in the photo.

Young fish differ in color from adults; two silvery edgings run from the gills to the tail. The older they get, the fewer stripes they have. As a result, in adult fish the color changes to a darker color, and the edging remains only at the end of the fins or tail.

Shark catfish is a shy fish that is afraid even of its own shadow. But she is very mobile, and therefore she is quite cramped in a small aquarium. There should be enough space for the catfish to have room to roam. For comfortable conditions, the aquarium shark catfish needs to be provided with proper care. The aquarium for young individuals should be large, holding at least 500 liters of clean water. The older the fish, the more water it needs.

You definitely need to purchase a filter for cleaning. Otherwise, the catfish will begin to develop many diseases. Pay attention to the water temperature. The optimal temperature is from 23 to 28 degrees. Do not pour cold or unsettled water. Place large stones and snags in the aquarium, but not sharp ones, so that the fish do not get hurt, and the plants should have a thick root system. The bottom is sprinkled with sand or gravel.

Nutrition

Catfish are predators by nature, and therefore they always have a good appetite. You need to feed three times a day in the right amount depending on the age of the pet. The menu should contain all useful vitamins and minerals: protein, chopped beef, lean fish, shrimp, vegetables (cucumbers, cabbage, potatoes), buckwheat or rice porridge. Catfish will never refuse food, so try not to overfeed. After all, he often suffers from obesity, which is quite problematic to cure. Twice a week, arrange fasting days on which the catfish should not receive food.

Behavior

These are active fish whose behavior is very interesting to observe. When a shark catfish first appears in an aquarium, it will begin to rush around in a state of shock and not understanding where it is. He can even lie down on the seaweed and pretend to be dead. But as soon as you touch him, he will appear again. These are shy fish, and you will often see them somewhere near the far wall of the aquarium. If they hear the knocking of foreign objects, they try to hide in the algae.

Diseases

Proper care and maintenance will save fish from various terrible diseases. Still, sometimes you can notice that the shark catfish has become less mobile. In this case, watch him. Sometimes you can see:

  • ulcerative formations over the entire surface of the body;
  • redness near the fins;
  • antennae and some fins disappeared;
  • eats poorly or has stopped eating altogether;
  • fungal formations appeared on the surface of the body, similar in appearance to semolina.

For ulcerative formations, the body is lubricated with potassium permanganate three times a day. You can also place the fish in a saline solution for several days. If some fins with antennae are missing, it means that improper care is being used. Fish may have poor nutrition at low water temperatures. The fungus is treated with a solution of green malachite. But if there is redness near the fins, take the catfish to the veterinary clinic.

Shark catfish: compatibility with other fish

This type of fish feels comfortable in a school. Loneliness is unacceptable for them. However, there should not be too many fish in the aquarium. Neighbors should be almost the same size as catfish. As a rule, predators sooner or later begin to destroy fish that are much smaller in size. After moving in neighbors, always make sure that the catfish is not hungry.

Breeding

In aquarium sharks, it begins in June and lasts until late autumn. Fish are ready to reproduce at the age of 3-6 years. The pair should be in a separate container where a lot of algae grows, since the female lays her eggs in the grass. For successful fish breeding, you need to slightly increase the water temperature, and at low degrees, fertilization will not occur.

A female catfish manages to lay almost 100,000 small eggs, after which an incubation period occurs within 24 hours. At this time, constantly monitor the temperature; it should be at least 30 degrees. After the fry appear, they are transplanted into an aquarium and fed with special food, which is sold in pet stores. If there is insufficient nutrition, the fish eat the weaker neighbor. At home, shark catfish reproduce extremely rarely. But still worth a try. Moreover, they can reproduce in an aquarium if the temperature is increased to the required degrees.

Shark catfish (pangasius) is a fish that lives in southeast Asia and Indochina. Prefers to live in lakes overgrown with algae and warm reservoirs. The fish got its name because of its external resemblance to a shark. There are many varieties of pangasius, but only two are kept at home. Shark catfish require a very large aquarium. Able to get along with many aquarium fish.

Description

According to the description, pangasius is a miniature copy of a sea predator. In nature, its length is more than one meter, but in an aquarium the catfish reaches only 70 cm.

At home there are two varieties of shark catfish:

View Description
Siamese pangasiusThe body is painted in a dark gray shade with a bluish tint. Silvery stripes run along the sides from the gills to the caudal fin. Due to its flattened head, tail and fin, this species strongly resembles a shark. The male is much smaller than the female, and the body color is noticeably paler. The belly of this catfish is silver and the fins are light gray.
Aquarium catfish suchi
This is a small, timid fish that, out of fear, rushes to the walls of the aquarium. To reduce the risk of injury, it is recommended to keep it in a large oblong container. This species is quite peaceful, prefers to be in medium water layers, and gets along well with medium-sized and large-sized aquatic inhabitants. The aquarium catfish suchi gets used to its owner and reacts quickly to his appearance in the room

Shark catfish do not have bone plates, but have thin and smooth skin that is easily injured. This fish is constantly on the move and regularly rises to the surface of the water to swallow air.

In order for a shark catfish to feel comfortable in an aquarium, you need to create conditions for it that would be as close to natural as possible:

Necessary Requirements Conditions of detention
AquariumThe volume of the aquarium must be at least 500 liters, and even then it is suitable only for young animals. Since these fish prefer to live in schools and are able to quickly move along the aquarium walls, the tank should not be cluttered with unnecessary decor. For adults, an aquarium with a volume of more than 1000 liters is required
WaterShark catfish prefer to live in clean water. It should not be hard (2-20 dH), and its acidity should be within normal limits (6.5-8.0 Ph). The tank must be equipped with a filter for water purification. If the level of nitrates or ammonia is increased in the aquatic environment, then the fish may develop diseases characteristic of them. Every day you should replace water by 30% of the total mass. Its temperature should be +23…+28 degrees
DecorationAccessories (driftwood, stones) are selected in large sizes. They should not have sharp corners so that the catfish does not get hurt. The bottom is sprinkled with gravel or washed coarse sand. Plants can be planted in a pot that is placed at the bottom of the aquarium. In this case, the fish will not be able to damage them.

With proper care, aquarium catfish can live up to 20 years.

Feeding

Pangasius are omnivorous fish. In nature, they feed on protein foods: worms, mollusks, insects, larvae.

In captivity they are given:

  • large bloodworm;
  • pieces of frozen fish;
  • tubifex;
  • finely chopped veal.

The fish are given food in dim lighting, which allows them to feel calmer. Catfish are very voracious and prone to obesity. They are fed 2-3 times a day, calculating the portions so that the food is eaten within a few minutes.

Breeding and compatibility

Shark catfish breed in captivity very rarely. Most often they are imported from Southeast Asia, where they are bred in huge artificial ponds equipped with special equipment. To increase the productivity of fish, they are given stimulating injections. Therefore, ordinary hobbyists are recommended to purchase them at pet stores.

Aquarists try to create living conditions for their pets that are as close to the natural environment as possible. Almost all types of aquarium fish are suitable as pets. Some prefer calm, leisurely aquarium inhabitants; connoisseurs of exotics breed piranhas and ornamental sharks in their aquariums. The latter include the aquarium shark catfish, or pangasius catfish.

Description

Pangasius has several names. Breeders call it the freshwater shark or Siamese catfish. In its natural environment, this fish can be found in the regions of Southeast Asia, in freshwater bodies of Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. In the wild, pangasius is considered a commercial fish; its meat has excellent taste.

The shark catfish has a smooth body, a dense build, and no scales. The head is triangular, slightly flattened. The snout of the shark catfish is very reminiscent of the snout of a shark, the triangular dorsal fin only enhances the resemblance. On both sides of the mouth, catfish have mustaches and eyes, which are rather round and large. The caudal fin is divided into two lobes, the color of the fish is predominantly silver, oblong lateral stripes run along the body, the fins are dark brown, less often black.

The fish changes color as it gets older, for example, in an adult, the stripes become completely striped over time. From a silver color, the fish smoothly turns into a darker, often black color, only the belly remains silver.

The fins of young animals are translucent, the main color is light gray; in adults, the fins are gray-blue and have a silver edging.

In the natural environment Pangasius is capable of growing to quite large sizes, about 100 cm. The aquarium subspecies grows up to 50-60 cm. The Siamese catfish is considered to be a long-liver, they live about 20 years.

Character of the fish

Despite the fact that fish have a calm and peaceful disposition, you should carefully choose their neighbors. The shark catfish is very timid and has poor eyesight, so you should explain to other family members and guests that you cannot knock on the glass of the aquarium, as this will scare the fish. Pangasius is afraid of sudden sounds and movements. The fish should not be grabbed sharply with your hands.

Breeders try to provide their pets with appropriate care. To do this, experts advise adhering to certain rules:

The plant can be planted in small pots, this will save the plant from extinction. Even if the fish digs up the soil, it will not reach the roots.

What does pangasius eat?

Aquarium pet health directly depends on proper nutrition. If the diet is incorrectly formulated, pets can get sick and stop growing. There are certain principles for feeding aquarium pangasius:

Reproduction of shark catfish in an aquarium

In the natural environment This species has no problems with spawning. The fish constantly migrates, as it has high requirements for spawning grounds. While swimming, the fish chooses the ideal place and spawns.

At home, spawning occurs extremely rarely. The whole problem is that it is very difficult for the breeder to provide conditions as close to natural as possible.

Pangasius and other inhabitants of the aquarium

The mini shark is considered a schooling fish. She gets along quite easily with other fish. It is not recommended to house large fish together with catfish, and the point is not even that pangasius can be eaten. It is enough that the catfish can be afraid of such large neighbors. It is advisable to add a small fish, it will help the catfish to move, as it will serve as prey.

Catfish get along well with cichlids, labeos, barbs, and knife fish. The iris will also be suitable as a neighbor; it will help keep the aquarium clean. Catfish are inhabitants of the middle water layer, and the iris will pick up food that has fallen to the bottom, and thereby clean out the home.

Diseases

Shark catfish, like any living creature, are sometimes susceptible to illness. Basically, all diseases occur due to poor nutrition.

Most often, this type of fish is troubled by problems with the gastrointestinal tract: poisoning and ulcerative manifestations.

Before purchasing a shark catfish, the breeder needs to consult a specialist. This type of fish requires careful care, a spacious aquarium and a good quality filter. If a person thinks that the expenses ahead are too large, there is no point in starting a catfish. There are other types of fish that are easy to keep.