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Hasselt's sheatfish (Silurichthys hasseltii) — Siluridae

Hasselt's sheatfish

Silurichthys hasseltii
Family: Siluridae

The Hasselt's sheatfish (Silurichthys hasseltii) is a freshwater fish of the family Siluridae that grows up to 11 cm.

Length
11 cm
Water
Freshwater
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand
Edibility
Rarely eaten

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Description

The Hasselt's sheatfish is a sheatfish (Siluridae) from slow-flowing, shaded fresh water of Sundaland in Southeast Asia. The species grows to about 12 cm and has a slender, scaleless, brown-marbled body with a long anal fin, a small or absent dorsal fin and two pairs of barbels. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it shelters by day among leaf litter and roots and snaps at insect larvae, small crustaceans and worms. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Hasselt's sheatfish?

The Hasselt's sheatfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern.

Where does the Hasselt's sheatfish live?

The Hasselt's sheatfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand

How big does the Hasselt's sheatfish get?

The Hasselt's sheatfish grows to a maximum of about 11 cm.

Is the Hasselt's sheatfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Hasselt's sheatfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Hasselt's sheatfish edible?

The Hasselt's sheatfish is rarely eaten.

More photos

Hasselt's sheatfish (Silurichthys hasseltii) — Siluridae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Utain Pummarin, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Hasselt's sheatfish (Silurichthys hasseltii) — Siluridae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Jiayuan Lin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Hasselt's sheatfish (Silurichthys hasseltii) — Siluridae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Hendra, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Hasselt's sheatfish (Silurichthys hasseltii) — Siluridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Lumin Ong, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Hasselt's sheatfish sourced
Scientific name
Silurichthys hasseltii
Family
Siluridae
Other names
Hasselt's leaf catfish sourced

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
11.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Barbels
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Natural range
Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten inferred
Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Silurichthys

More from the family Siluridae

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