Related FAQs: Electric Catfish, Electrogenic Fishes, Catfish:Identification, Behavior, Compatibility, Selection, Systems, Feeding, Disease, Reproduction, Related Articles: Catfishes, Electrogenic Fishes, /A Diversity of Aquatic Life The Electric Catfishes, Family Malapteruridae | |
By Bob Fenner | Malapterurus electricus juvenile |
Plants are optional. Though to their nervous nature special care should be to disturb them as little as possible during aquarium maintenance. Malapterurus electricus (Electric catfish) can give electric shocks when distressed. Feeding: They prefer live and frozen food. Electric fish produce their electrical fields from a specialized structure called an electric organ.This is made up of modified muscle or nerve cells, which became specialized for producing bioelectric fields stronger than those that normal nerves or muscles produce. Nov 11, 2014 Electric Catfish Fishao with Dough Average size 57 cm WR 121 cm.
Oh, how times change! When I was a young pet-fishbeginner back in the early sixties, there was but one accepted speciesof electric catfish.. currently (pun not intended) there are eleven!All joined in the same genus, Malapterurus, and spread widelyabout Africa's freshwaters, with the 'star' species M.electricus being found from the Nile to the Zambezi and much of centralAfrica. This species and humans have been acquainted since ancienttimes, with clear identification being made by Egyptians in hieroglyphsmore than five thousand years ago.
Electric cats are unmistakable at the familylevel. They are flabby bodied (the scientific name is derived from theGreek: mala = soft + pteron = fin + oura = tail), lack a dorsal fin andhave an adipose fin well to the rear but separate from the caudal..oh, and are not only revoltingly homely, but voltingly shocking!
Habitat:
These cats are very sedentary, spending almostall their time reposed on the bottom. Think about it.. if you couldgenerate 300-400 volts wouldn't you wait till your food came on byand just zap it? The principal species available is a large animal, andit can grow quickly if fed regularly.. this coupled with its shockingbehavior calls for large quarters (so you don't have to move it).There are folks who keep electric cats in systems of only a few tens ofgallons.. but you are advised to dedicate one of a few hundred ifthinking of keeping M. electricus in the long term. Electricaldischarges function for both prey seizure and defense (not forcommunication or navigation as in some more weakly electrogenic fishfamilies).. thus a word to the would-be aquarist who considers thesefishes.
Water quality is not particularly important.Species kept do fine at a pH between 6 and 8, though neutral water ofmoderate hardness is preferred. Temperature should be tropical,somewhere twixt 20 and 26 C.
Electric cats prefer dusk-like settings, soeither low-light or good plant cover is advised. They are secretive bynature, especially on first introduction, so a ready-made cave of somesort should be supplied. Take care however in arranging large, heavyobjects in their system as these cats are both prodigious diggers andpushers of materials.. and your specimen may well be crushed ifmassive aquascaping falls on it.
Due to their digging behavior and eating habits,undergravel filters are useless with these fishes, and you shouldinstead utilize outside power filtration (hang-on, canister,wet-dry..) instead.
Tankmates:
In the wild these fishes eat an assortment ofsmall/er fishes and crustaceans. Other tankmates will always be at riskof electrocution. It has been done (e.g. with larger cichlids), butmost keepers of electric cats keep them to themselves.. in dedicatedbiotopic settings. Though they can be kept more than one to a tank asjuveniles, electric catfishes become quarrelsome with growth and arebest maintained solitarily. Not to worry re this fish becoming lonely,as they imprint on their keepers readily, becoming quite the householdpet, actually rarely shocking their owners.
Species Aquarists Are Likely To See (and feel!):
Though other species at times make their way intopet-fish markets, the almost-exclusive staple is M. electricus.
Malapterurus electricus (Gmelin 1789), the Electric Catfish. Africa: Nile and tropical Africa (except Lake Victoria and rivers of East Africa north of the Zambezi), Lake Tanganyika and throughout the Congo system. To 1.2 meter in length (more than four feet!). Natural water cond.s: pH 7-8, dH to 20, temp. 23-30 C. |
Malapterurus microstoma Polle & Gosse 1967, the Smallmouth Electric Catfish. Africa: Congo basin; mainstream and large tributaries. To 69 cm. An occasional aquarium import. |
Foods/Feeding/Nutrition:
Electric cats eagerly take all types of foods..in fact, too eagerly, and one must be self-controlled lest theirmalapterurid turn into a living blimp or worse, a dead one. Sinkingmeaty or prepared foods of high protein are appreciated, daily forsmaller specimens, a few times weekly for larger ones. Be aware thatyour fish will keep eating about as long as you're willing to stuffit, but that this is not good for electric cats. They will live muchlonger, healthier lives being occasionally fasted. In the wild thesefishes are active, well, more active at night, but at the sizes theyare typically imported (2-6 inches) are easy to train to take foodduring the day.
Disease:
Tough otherwise, malapterurids often fall prey tosimple white-spot or ich infestations.. or likely more frequently,from medications used to treat such ailments. As naked catfishes theyare easily susceptible to poisoning from Malachite Green, a commoningredient in ich remedies. If using these, take care to apply halfdoses, elevate temperature (to mid to upper eighties F.) or rely onother non-dye or metallic med.s.
Reproduction:
Electric cats have been observed reproducing inthe wild. This occurs between pairs in the summer in holes they dig inriver banks. Some accounts describe some species as mouthbrooders.Males are decidedly slimmer than the very round and heavy-setfemales.
About Their Shocking Behavior:
Even small specimens of malapterurids can rendera noticeable electrical jolt, with larger specimens scaling up thepossible voltage. Such events can be painful indeed, and you are warnedto make provision for avoiding shocks if you keep these fishes.Standing on insulators, using rubber gloves and non-conductive handledtools like nets, gravel vacuums and algae scrapers.. Best to work onthese fishes tanks once they are fully awake and aware of yourpresence, ahead of sticking ones hands in their water.
If you delve into fish physiology you will notethat malapterurids generate their electrical potential from dermalstructure, as opposed to internal organs like most other electrogenicfishes, formed of muscle just below the skin.
Cloze:
Obviously this family of catfishes is not formany aquarists. However, given a large, dedicated system and regularcare, one can have a real 'aqua dog' pet for a few decades inan electric cat.
Bibliography/Further Reading:
Catfishes on the Internet:http://phylogeny.arizona.edu/tree/eukaryotes/animals/chordata/actinopterygii/siluriformes/siluriformes.html
Planet Catfish: http://www.planetcatfish.com/core/index.htm
Burgess, Warren E. 1989. An Atlas of Freshwater and MarineCatfishes. Tropical Fish Hobbyist Publications. NJ, USA. pp. 786.
Jackson, Lee. 1990. Electric catfish. FAMA 3/90.
Krechmer, Michael. 1995. Current events with the electric catfish.TFH 7/95.
Nelson, Joseph S. 1994. Fishes of the World, 3d ed. JohnWiley & Sons, Inc. NY. 600pp.Fishao Electric Catfish Fish
Speice, Paul. 1993. The tickle fish and other shocking stories. FAMA2/93.
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. It takes some doing to stand out among the catfishes, a group that contains some of the most bizarre creatures on earth. Yet the Electric Catfish (Malapterurus electricus) does this quite admirably. Indeed, this species is so unique that it and the small mouth electric catfish (M. macrostoma) are alone classified in the family Malapteruridae.
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Characteristics and Cautions
The Electric Catfish has a number of qualities that would seem to mitigate against its popularity, but catfish enthusiasts, myself included, seem drawn to “unlovable” beasts. It is no beauty, and is impossible to house with any species other than its own – tank mates that are not shocked to death are eaten! Fortunately, it is immune to its own unique defense system.
In all seriousness, however, this fish is not for beginners. It may reach 3 feet in length, and when disturbed emits electrical charges that are, at 400 volts, strong enough to stun adults (the strength of its charges increases with size, but even a 3 inch specimen can make itself felt). Obviously, it is imperative that children and mentally challenged persons be kept away from electric catfishes.
Natural History
The Electric Catfish inhabits slower-moving portions of the Nile, Niger and other river systems in Central and West Africa. The small mouth Electric Catfish is confined to the Congo River Basin and rarely appears in the pet trade.
This species captures its prey, mainly other fishes, by releasing short bursts of electricity. Electrical impulses are also used for defense, but do not assist in navigation (as is the case for the knife fishes). A unique pectoral muscle that surrounds most of the body generates the electrical discharges.
Pairs form during the breeding season, and the eggs are laid in a self dug or confiscated hole below a sunken log or rock. Little else is known of its reproductive behavior.
Captive Care
Despite, or perhaps because of, their formidable defenses, electric catfishes make most responsive pets. Owners invariably describe them as alert and quick to respond to one’s presence (in such cases, feed but don’t “pet” them!). They soon abandon their nocturnal ways where food is involved.
Plan for a large, well-covered tank, as these stout fishes may reach 35 inches in length. They seem to be fish specialists, but will also take all manner of other meaty foods, carnivore pellets, prawn, earthworms, insects, crayfishes and just about any other small animal. Long term captives rarely discharge electricity during routine tank maintenance, but they should none-the-less be treated with respect and caution.
Captives do best under low light and in moderately soft water at 76-78 F and 6.5-7.5 in pH. A suitably powerful filtration system is essential, as are regular water changes. Electric catfishes prefer sluggish waters in the wild, and do not abide strong currents in captivity. Albinos are sometimes available.
Research Potential
The Electric Catfish is yet another relatively common, hardy fish about which we know very little. Documenting their breeding behavior would be a most interesting and useful endeavor…please consider it if your resources allow.
A New Exhibit
I recently obtained a nice group of Electric Catfishes and helped set up an exhibit for them in the new African Underwater Adventure display at the Maritime Aquariumin Norwalk, Ct. Please visit if you have a chance.
Further Reading
You can read more about the Electric Catfish at Fishbase.
Electric Catfish Names
Please write in with your questions and comments.
Electric Catfish Info
Thanks, until next time,
Fishao Electric Catfish Fish
Frank Indiviglio