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No federal permit to keepStinging catfish
Heteropneustes fossilis
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Heteropneustidae (Stinging catfish)
Heteropneustes fossilis, also known as Asian stinging catfish or fossil cat, is a species of airsac catfish found in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, and Bhutan.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 66 in long and 33 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 16.2 in / 41.2 cm).
- Water: Freshwater (tolerates brackish).
- Temperature: 70–77°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–8.
- Hardness: 0–30 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
- Safety: Can injure people (sharp spines, teeth or electric shock): use nets and care when working in the tank.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 70–77 °F, pH 6–8, 5–30 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Does best in a dimly-lit tank with plenty of hidng places, as well as some open areas for swimming.”
- Tankmates: “While smaller tankmates will undoubtedly be eaten, it's quite peaceful with similarly-sized or larger, active species.”
- Breeding: “Has been bred in captivity but few details are available.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Catfishes
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rivers and streams. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Hiding places (caves, driftwood) and soft substrate for bottom-dwellers.
- Some species (redtail and shark catfish) grow huge and suit only public aquariums.
Diet
- Sinking pellets and wafers; vegetables for plecos; meaty foods for predators.
Health watch
- Bottom-dwellers suffer on dirty or sharp substrate.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It has also been introduced to the Tigris River Basin in western Iran.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Heteropneustes fossilis” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater and brackish water, in rivers and streams, marshes and swamps, rice paddies. Stays near the bottom. Adults found mainly in ponds, ditches, swamps and marshes, but sometimes occur in muddy rivers. Recorded as having been or being farmed in rice fields. |
| Ground it lives on | Over mud. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater / brackish water, 70–77 °F (21–25 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 30 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: nesters, biparental parental care. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 70–77 °F.
- Use a soft, fine bottom; it lives over fine sediment in the wild.
- It tolerates or needs brackish water; check salinity needs before setup.
- Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 95°F (up to 106°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 53°F (down to 46°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 74–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 62–76% on average (driest month about 58%) |
| Rainfall | about 1638 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 134 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Heteropneustes fossilis, also known as Asian stinging catfish or fossil cat, is a species of airsac catfish found in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, and Bhutan. It has also been introduced to the Tigris River Basin in western Iran. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Eggs are deposited in a depression usually excavated by both parents in mud, in shallow water. Parents guard the eggs and young until they can fend for themselves which lasts for about one month. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | Maximum length 41.2 cm tl male/unsexed; maximum published weight 400.00 g. — FishBase |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Adults found mainly in ponds, ditches, swamps and marshes, but sometimes occur in muddy rivers. Recorded as having been or being farmed in rice fields. Can tolerate slightly brackish water. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Maximum recorded lifespan
Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Female maturity
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 64 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- [Stinging catfish spine envenamation] Satora L et al., Przeglad lekarski 2009
- Microbial inoculums improve growth and health of Heteropneustes fossilis via biofloc-driven aquaculture Kumar V et al., Microbial cell factories 2023
- Isolation, identification, and potentiality of gut-derived probiotic bacteria from Heteropneustes fossilis, stinging catfish Jilani AK et al., Journal of advanced veterinary and animal research 2024
- A comparison of steroid profiles in the testis and seminal vesicle of the catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis) Chaube R et al., Theriogenology 2018
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. See all 33 on PubMed → 170
Sources for this sheet
- AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.