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Grauer's catfish (Bathybagrus graueri) — Claroteidae

Grauer's catfish

Bathybagrus graueri
Family: Claroteidae
LC · Least Concern

The Grauer's catfish (Bathybagrus graueri) is a freshwater fish of the family Claroteidae that grows up to 36 cm.

Length
36 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

Grauer's catfish is an African catfish of the family Claroteidae from Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. The species grows to about 36 cm and is most common in the sublittoral zone, but occurs to 150 metres, with larger individuals living deeper. It inhabits muddy bottoms and hunts mainly fishes. The fish has barbels around the mouth, an adipose fin and stout fin spines. The male guards the brood. Like other catfishes the sharp pectoral and dorsal spines can cause painful injuries. The species is locally fished and eaten.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Grauer's catfish?

The Grauer's catfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Grauer's catfish live?

The Grauer's catfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Grauer's catfish get?

The Grauer's catfish grows to a maximum of about 36 cm.

Is the Grauer's catfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Grauer's catfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Grauer's catfish edible?

Yes, the Grauer's catfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Grauers meerval sourced
English name
Grauer's catfish sourced
Scientific name
Bathybagrus graueri
Family
Claroteidae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
36.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Bathybagrus

More from the family Claroteidae

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