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Beardless sea catfish (Batrachocephalus mino) — Ariidae

Beardless sea catfish

Batrachocephalus mino
Family: Ariidae

The Beardless sea catfish (Batrachocephalus mino) is a brackish-water fish of the family Ariidae that grows up to 25 cm.

Length
25 cm
Water
Brackish
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Venomous / poisonous
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The beardless sea catfish is a sea catfish (Ariidae) from coastal and brackish water of South and Southeast Asia. The species grows to about 25 cm and has a stocky, greyish body notable for having almost no barbels, unusual for a catfish. As a bottom-dweller it searches turbid estuarine water for small fish, crustaceans and worms; the male broods the eggs in his mouth. The stout fin spines are venomous and can cause a painful wound; handle with care.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Beardless sea catfish?

The Beardless sea catfish has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Beardless sea catfish live?

The Beardless sea catfish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Beardless sea catfish get?

The Beardless sea catfish grows to a maximum of about 25 cm. On average the species is around 9 cm.

Is the Beardless sea catfish dangerous to humans?

The Beardless sea catfish is venomous — handle spines with care and seek medical help after a sting if needed.

Is the Beardless sea catfish edible?

Yes, the Beardless sea catfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Baardloze zeemeerval sourced
English name
Beardless sea catfish sourced
Scientific name
Batrachocephalus mino
Family
Ariidae
Other names
Beardless sea catfish; Catfish; Frog headed cat fish; Froghead sea catfish; Frog-headed catfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
25.0 verified
Average length (cm)
9.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
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
Venomous / poisonous verified

Status & sources

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

More from the family Ariidae

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