Home · Claroteidae · Stappers' catfish
Stappers' catfish (Bathybagrus stappersii) — Claroteidae

Stappers' catfish

Bathybagrus stappersii
Family: Claroteidae
LC · Least Concern

The Stappers' catfish (Bathybagrus stappersii) is a freshwater fish of the family Claroteidae that grows up to 45 cm.

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

Description

Stappers' catfish is a catfish endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. The species grows to about 45 cm and has an elongate, scaleless, greyish body with barbels and an adipose fin. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it lives in deeper lake water and searches for small fish, crustaceans and invertebrates. The strong fin spines can prick. It is a local food fish. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Stappers' catfish?

The Stappers' catfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Stappers' catfish live?

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

How big does the Stappers' catfish get?

The Stappers' catfish grows to a maximum of about 45 cm.

Is the Stappers' catfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Stappers' catfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Stappers' catfish edible?

Yes, the Stappers' catfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Stappers' Tanganyikameerval verified
English name
Stappers' catfish verified
Scientific name
Bathybagrus stappersii
Family
Claroteidae

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
45.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Netten en handlijnen sourced
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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