Malapterurus electricus
| Malapterurus electricus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Malapteruridae |
| Genus: | Malapterurus |
| Species: | M. electricus |
| Binomial name | |
| Malapterurus electricus (Gmelin, 1789) | |
Malapterurus electricus is a species of electric catfish that occurs widely in Africa.[1][2]This species grows to a length of 122 centimetres (48 in) SL. This species is important for subsistence fisheries and as a gamefish.[2] This is also the most common of the electric catfish to appear in the pet trade.
In the aquarium
Malapterurus electricus is sometimes encountered in aquarium supply stores. It can reach a maximum length of over 1 meter in the wild, but has an average size of 12 inches in the aquarium. It is quite hardy and greedily accepts most foods, although some experimentation may be required to find the best food. The only other animals that are compatible with this species are snails, which they will ignore. A minimum aquarium size of 55 gallons is required, with bogwood or pieces of PVC pipe. They are active burrowers and will often remove the gravel from under their favorite hiding spot. A minimum temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit is necessary.
Zoos in North America
References
- 1 2 Azeroual, A., Entsua-Mensah, M., Getahun, A., Lalèyè, P. & Kazembe, J. (2010). "Malapterurus electricus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
- 1 2 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2011). "Malapterurus electricus" in FishBase. December 2011 version.