Som Bagariy

Bagarius catfish or “Freshwater sand shark”, scientific name Bagarius yarrelli, belongs to the family Sisoridae (Bagar or mountain catfishes). This type of catfish is rarely found in the hobby aquarium because of its size and high maintenance costs.

Habitat

Inhabits large river basins of the Indian Peninsula, such as the Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra and their numerous tributaries. In some sources, the habitat also extends to Southeast Asia, but this version will probably not be confirmed in future studies. Inhabits the main channels of rivers, occurs in areas with fast, sometimes turbulent currents, flowing through hilly terrain. Catfish prefers to be in the bottom layer, hiding among boulders and large fragments of rock.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 1500 liters.
• Temperature – 16-23°C
• Value pH — 6.0–7.5
• Water hardness – 2–12 dGH
• Substrate type – sandy
• Lighting – subdued
• Brackish water – no
• Water movement – moderate or strong
• Fish size – up to 2 meters
• Nutrition – live, fresh or frozen food
• Temperament – inhospitable
• Content single

Description

Adults can reach up to 2 meters in length. However, in an artificial environment they rarely grow more than one and a half meters. The body is elongated with a massive flattened head and a large mouth dotted with sharp conical teeth. The fins are relatively short, and the tail, on the contrary, is rather large. The color is gray or sandy with dark speckles of variable size. For its body shape and color, the catfish is also called the “Freshwater Sand Shark”.

Food

Predator, in nature feeds on other fish, amphibians, crustaceans and other invertebrates. In aquaria, it can generally be habituated to alternative foods such as white meat fish, shrimp, shellless mussels, large earthworms, etc. Commercial food for carnivorous species is a good choice.

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

Such a large fish needs a huge tank with thousands of liters of water. Maintaining biological balance in such a large volume, with catfish producing a lot of waste, requires adherence to a strict aquarium maintenance schedule and the placement / connection of efficient filtration systems and other equipment. The total weight of an aquarium with water can reach several tons, and its installation is associated with construction work and the laying of engineering communications. Usually, specialized companies are involved in the implementation of such a project and subsequent maintenance, and the owner only has to enjoy the result and periodically feed his pets. In this case, the content of catfish Bagaria is quite simple, but all this requires not small financial costs and is unlikely to belong to the field of amateur aquarism.

Behavior and Compatibility

Due to its diet, this catfish will not be able to get along peacefully with other fish that can fit in its mouth, but these are almost all aquarium species. Therefore, single content is recommended.

Fish diseases

The cause of most diseases is unsuitable conditions of detention. A stable habitat will be the key to successful keeping. In the event of symptoms of the disease, first of all, the quality of the water should be checked and, if deviations are found, measures should be taken to correct the situation. If symptoms persist or even worsen, medical treatment will be required. Read more about symptoms and treatments in the Aquarium Fish Diseases section.