Giant River Catfish

The 150 cm giant river-catfish (Sperata seenghala) is one of several native high trophic level demersal (organisms living on or near the bottom) fish species present in the Indus River and its tributaries. Major tributaries of the Indus rise in the Himalayan Mountains and the Hindu Kush; these influent rivers include the Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi and Sutlej. The Indus mainstem rises on the Tibetan Plateau and flows generally westward. The Green Revolution has exacerbated water pollution by considerable additions of nitrate to promote crop growth. Other aggravating factors have included increasing amounts of herbicides and pesticides, as pressures to increase crop production expand. Flow of the perennial Indus is dominated by: (a) meltwaters from the Tibetan icefield, the third largest ice sheet formation in the world; (b) snowfall and snowmelt from higher elevation of the watershed; and (c) episodic monsoonal rains that lead to periodic flooding in the basin. Other large demersal fish associates in the Indus Basin are the 244 centimeter (cm) giant devil catfish (Bagarius yarrelli), the 180 cm Long-whiskered catfish (Sperata aor), the mottled loach (Acanthocobitis botia), silond catfish (Silonia silondia) and the 150 cm near threatened clown knifefish (Chitala chitala).

Body elongate and compressed; snout broad and spatulate. Barbels extend posteriorly to pelvic fins or beyond to anal fin. Dorsal spine weakly serrated on its posterior edge; adipose fin base short, about as long as the rayed dorsal fin base. Color is brownish-gray on back, silvery on flanks and belly. A dark well-defined spot is on the adipose dorsal fin.

Potamodromous. Migrating within streams, migratory in rivers, e.g. Saliminus, Moxostoma, Labeo. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 11 - 12

Found in rivers, canals, beels, ditches, inundated fields and other freshwater areas.

Found in rivers, canals, beels, ditches, inundated fields and other freshwater areas. Adults fight well and provide good sport. Carnivore. Breeding occurs before the commencement of monsoons. Oviparous, distinct pairing possibly like other members of the same genus (Ref. 205).

fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: likely future use; gamefish: yes

Sperata seenghala, the Giant river-catfish, is a species of bagrid catfish. It is known locally as Guizza, Guizza ayer, Auri, Ari, Pogal, Singhara and Seenghala, among other names. It is found in southern Asia in the countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh with reports of occurrence in Myanmar, Thailand and Yunnan, China. It can reach a length of 150 cm, though lengths up to 40 cm are more usual. It is commercially fished for human consumption as well as being a popular gamefish with a reputation for being a good fighter when hooked. It is carnivorous in diet. It can be distinguished from other sperata species by its spatulate, blunt snout, relatively short barbels and mouth that is only 1/3 as wide as the head is long.

Sperata seenghala dorsal view of head showing snout shape