All Fishes ⇒ Clariidae ⇒ The genus Clarias

Hop to next section Summary of clarias
Pronounced klar ee ass
Etymology Clarias: From the Greek chlaros, meaning lively; in reference to the ability of the fish to live for long periods out of water.
Identification Clarias species are characterized by having an elongated body; a soft rayed dorsal fin extending to, or nearly to, the caudal fin base; a soft rayed anal fin extending from just behind the anus to the caudal fin base; pectoral fins each with a serrated anterior bony spine; head depressed, covered largely by firmly sutured, surface sculptured bony plates forming a protective helmet; four pairs of flagellate barbels (nasals, maxillaries, inner and outer mandibulars); air breathing organs derived from the 2nd and 4th epibranchials within a superbranchial chamber.
Tankmates Large cyprinids (silver sharks, tinfoil or spanner barbs for example) or Central American cichlids.
Sexing The genital papilla, which is to the right of the anus as you look at the fish with its head to the left, is elongated and pointed in males while it is round and relatively larger (and larger than the anus) in females. In ventral view especially, females are much broader in the body than males of equal age and rearing practices.
Size Smallest 140mm, largest 1700mm, average 421mm, most commonly 350mm. All SL.
Species There are 38 "species" in the database
New spp. / time
1750 1770 1790 1810 1830 1850 1870 1890 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 2010 
Distribution

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