Wallago Catfish (Wallago attu) Care Guide
Wallago attu is a large predatory Asian sheatfish reaching well over a metre, suitable only for very large public aquaria, not home tanks.
Overview
Wallago attu is a large predatory sheatfish of the family Siluridae. FishBase records it across Asia from Pakistan to Vietnam and Indonesia, with reports from Afghanistan. The English Wikipedia describes two disconnected populations spanning major Indian rivers and the Mekong and adjacent Southeast Asian drainages.
Taxonomy
- Family: Siluridae (sheatfishes)
- Genus: Wallago
- Scientific name: Wallago attu
Habitat
FishBase reports it inhabiting large rivers, lakes and tanks, favoring deep, still or slow-flowing water with a mud or silt substrate, and hiding in holes along riverbanks. In the Mekong it migrates to floodplains during floods and retreats to deeper pools as water recedes.
Size and tank requirements
- Maximum length: up to 240 cm TL (FishBase); common length about 75 cm
- Minimum tank volume: 4000 L (public-aquarium scale)
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 2-15 °dGH
Diet
FishBase describes Wallago attu as a voracious carnivore at trophic level 3.7, with formidable jaws and a band of conical teeth. Juveniles eat insects; adults take smaller fish, crustaceans and mollusks.
Compatibility
This is an aggressive apex predator that will consume any tankmate it can swallow. It is unsuitable for home aquaria even as a juvenile and belongs only in very large public or specialist holding systems.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Vulnerable (assessed 2019). FishBase notes the species is threatened due to over-harvesting.