Hemibagrus wyckii (Crystal-Eyed Catfish) Breeding Guide

Hemibagrus wyckii is a large, extremely aggressive Asian bagrid with no documented aquarium breeding; this guide explains why home spawning is not feasible.

Overview

Hemibagrus wyckii, the crystal-eyed catfish, is a large Asian bagrid of the family Bagridae. According to Wikipedia it occurs in Asia from Thailand to Indonesia, in river systems including the Mekong and Chao Phraya and across Sumatra, Malaysia, Java and Borneo, and reaches about 71 cm SL. It is a predator that feeds on insects, prawns and fishes and is restricted to the middle reaches of the large rivers it inhabits.

Temperament

This species is one of the most aggressive aquarium catfishes. Wikipedia notes it will bite and can damage objects in the aquarium, can attack animals of its own size, and has even been claimed to be the only freshwater fish unafraid of man. The standing advice is to keep it singly. Pairing two adults, as breeding would require, is therefore extremely hazardous.

Why home breeding is not feasible

There is no published account of spawning behaviour, eggs or fry for H. wyckii. Combined with a maximum length around 71 cm, a strictly solitary disposition and intense intraspecific aggression, the absence of any spawning protocol means this fish is kept as a single specimen, not as a breeding project. Introducing a second individual to attempt pairing risks fatal aggression.