AquaticRepublic.com - Clarias liocephalus (Clariidae) All Fishes

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Clarias liocephalus** Boulenger, 1898
Common Names	Smoothhead Catfish Sagkopbaber (South Africa)
Type Locality	Kinyamkolo, Lake Tanganyika, Zambia.
Synonym(s)	Clarias carsonii, Clarias neumanni, Clarias ornatus, Clarias phillipsi, Clarias submarginatus liocephalus, Clarias youngicus
Pronunciation	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. The specific epithet is from the Greek words lio and cephalus meaning "soft head" in reference to the reduced casque (reduced dermal bones behind the orbits).
Species Information
Size	320mm or 12.6" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
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. Dorsal soft rays : 67 - 79; Anal soft rays: 53 - 67; Vertebrae: 55 - 58. Pectoral fin spine with serrations on the inner and upward directed on the outer side. Head oval to rectangular dorsally; snout broadly rounded; eyes more laterally located. Frontal fontanelle intermediate between `knife-shaped' and `sole-shaped'; occipital fontanelle long and oval-shaped. Supraorbital and `dermosphenotic' bones generally joined above 150 mm SL and more dorsally placed. Tooth plates relatively broad. Pectoral spine relatively short; its outer side strongly serrated over entire length. Gill rakers short and far apart. Openings of secondary sensory canals regularly arranged on flanks. Colouration is usually dark brownish to nearly black on the back and flanks, lighter to whitish on the belly.The barbels are blackish as well.
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.
General Remarks	Air-breathing allows Clarias liocephalus to penetrate deep into hypoxic papyrus swamps where there is limited competition from other species of fish. This air-breathing does increase the threat of aerial predation and studies have shown that C. liocephalus has become a synchronous air-breather so that the risk is shared between multiple individuals during the surfacing period. See also The Fishes of the Lake Rukwa Drainage, Seegers pg.210.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Africa: Lake Victoria, Edward, George, small lakes of Uganda, Lake Kivu, smaller lakes of Rwanda, Lake Tanganyika, Bangweulu-Moero system, in Malawi, Kagera, Malagarazi, Ruzizi and Tana Rivers. Cunene, Okavango, upper Zambezi, and Kafue systems, Zambian Congo, Central Africa Great Lakes African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Victoria (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Edward (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika, Ruzizi, Kivu (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Edward, George (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Congo, Upper Congo, Lualaba, Mweru, Luapula, Bangweolo (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Congo, Upper Congo, Lualaba, Mweru (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Victoria, Kagera (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Zambesi, Malawi (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika, Malagarasi (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Okavango (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Western Rift Valley Lakes, Tanganyika, Ruzizi (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Tana (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Cunene (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Zambesi, Upper Zambesi (click on these areas to find other species found there) African Waters, Congo, Upper Congo, Chambeshi (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2018.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	In the wild it feeds on insects, fish, frogs, crustaceans and worms. In the aquarium it will be a typical clariid and be omnivorous and predatory and will eat virtually anything that can be considered edible. User data.
Furniture	Occurs in marginal water-lily and papyrus swamps as well as in marginal weed beds. Abundant in high mountain streams and torrents and on the bottom among stones. It therefore appears to be an adaptable species so very well rooted plants and structures such as pipes that provide some shade and hiding places or maybe a setup with rocks and good flow.
Compatibility	Should be be housed with lively, robust large fish.
Suggested Tankmates	Large Cyprinids, taking into consideration the cooler water required by this fish.
Breeding	Unreported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1898 (pt 3), pp 496.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There is no record of this fish being seen.
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	Look up C. liocephalus on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up C. liocephalus on Fishbase
	Look up C. liocephalus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up C. liocephalus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.6.8.2249
Last Update	2020 Oct 08 12:06 (species record created: 2009 Apr 08 23:31)