Above: In this picture is a nice young premium quality Iridescent Catfish, swimming in one of our aquariums, when one of us snapped this picture.

Comments: These are catfish that you rarely see in live fish stores or in online stores.

Premium Fish like these catfish are more energetic, more hardy, and more colorful than fish from other sources.

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Origin: This catfish was caught in Mekong River Basin in Thailand.

Maximum Size: Iridescent Catfish can grow to be over 39" long, including their tails, and sometimes larger.

Behaviors: They like to eat and are constantly moving and looking for food. They will, like most catfish, eat any fish that fits into their mouths.

Compatibility: Some recommended tank mates include other large fish such as Arowanas, Datnioides, and perhaps large Cichlids.

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Temperature: Black Ear Catfish can live pretty well from about 70 to 80 degrees F., but they're probably most comfortable from about 75 to 78 degrees F.

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Feeding: Premium Fish Food Pellets.

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Water Conditions: Iridescent Catfish tolerate of a wide range of water conditions.

Probably a pH of about 7 with moderate hardness is best.

Most water in the US is different but seems to be OK, so it's probably best NOT to adjust the pH or the hardness of the water.

Here in our facilities the water is hard and the pH is usually about 7.8. We ship them in this water.

Aquarium Size: When less than 3" long they can live in 30-gallon aquarium.

But when fed well, they will soon need a larger aquarium and eventually a much larger aquarium.

Decor: these catfish do not need gravel, and a layer of gravel more than 1/4" thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water.

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Live Plants: are beautiful, improve the water quality, but will be bulldozed out of the way by these catfish, as they search the bottom for food.

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Aquarium Filter: Bio-Wheel Filters are highly recommended.

A Penguin 350B in an aquarium with at least 30-gallons is OK, when these catfish are under 3".

But eventually they'll need to live in a much bigger aquarium with a much bigger filtering system.

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The addition of Lava Rocks will keep nitrates in the ideal range. Click here to learn more about using Lava Rocks in aquariums.

Life Span: this catfish can live for several years, or maybe many years with excellent care, including excellent water and premium fish foods.

Gender: As they mature, the females will fill with eggs and get plumper. But it's usually not easy to see.

Breeding: there are no reports of this catfish being spawned in an aquarium. But they are probably being spawned as food for humans in large ponds in Asia and elsewhere.

Popularity: Not very popular but more popular than we'd expect, knowing how large they grow to be.

Names: This species name is Pangasius hypophthalmus.

Variations: There are no variations known to us.

We hope you've enjoyed reading these comments.