Bagarius bagarius
Encyclopedia
Bagarius bagarius is a fish in the genus Bagarius
found in South
and Southeast Asia
, known as the devil catfish, dwarf goonch, goonch or sand shark .
, Burma, Thailand
, Cambodia
, Vietnam
, Sumatra
, Borneo
and Java
.
. This fish reaches an average of 200 millimetres (7.9 in). It is a predator with small sharp teeth, and largely lives in groups of 4–6 fish.
of 7.2–7.6 and a temperature
of 18–23 °C (64.4–73.4 F). The fish is not considered dangerous but deadly attacks on humans are recorded, but not confirmed. Most of the attacks happened in warm water where you don't expect the goonch to be. There have been confirmed sightings of devil catfish eating human corpses after the Indian rituals.
and live or dead fish. Reports exist of very anti-social behaviour amongst these fish in captivity.
Bagarius
Bagarius is a genus of catfishes of the family Sisoridae. It includes four extant species, B. bagarius, B. rutilus, B. suchus, and B. yarelli , and one extinct species, B. gigas.-Distribution:Bagarius species inhabit south and southeast Asia...
found in South
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, known as the devil catfish, dwarf goonch, goonch or sand shark .
Distribution and habitat
Widely distributed in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Burma, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
and Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
.
Description
B. bagarius is the smallest species in the genus BagariusBagarius
Bagarius is a genus of catfishes of the family Sisoridae. It includes four extant species, B. bagarius, B. rutilus, B. suchus, and B. yarelli , and one extinct species, B. gigas.-Distribution:Bagarius species inhabit south and southeast Asia...
. This fish reaches an average of 200 millimetres (7.9 in). It is a predator with small sharp teeth, and largely lives in groups of 4–6 fish.
Ecology
B. bagarius lives in cool, fast-flowing water, with a pHPH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
of 7.2–7.6 and a temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
of 18–23 °C (64.4–73.4 F). The fish is not considered dangerous but deadly attacks on humans are recorded, but not confirmed. Most of the attacks happened in warm water where you don't expect the goonch to be. There have been confirmed sightings of devil catfish eating human corpses after the Indian rituals.
Aquarium
B. bagarius is the only member of the genus suitable for home aquaria. It requires cool, fast-flowing water, and eats bloodworms, shrimpShrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
and live or dead fish. Reports exist of very anti-social behaviour amongst these fish in captivity.