Pangasius Gigas - Mekong Giant Catfish

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 18:55:29 +0000

Pangasius Gigas, better: Mekong giant catfish or Pangasianodon gigas is the largest species of the Shark catfish family (Pangasiidae) and one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Pangasius gigas (not to be confused with Pangasius Sanitwongsei) is exclusively found in the Mekong River and due to overfishing and loss of habitat seriously endangered. The Mekong giant catfish is characterized by a very quick growth, thus several attempts have been made to raise it in farms.

The Mekong giant catfish does not feature scales and has an elongated, laterally compressed body. Adults can reach a total body length of up to three meters and a weight of 300 kg. Females tend to be longer and heavier than males. The Mekong giant catfish is silvery-gray with a pale white belly. The fins are always gray. Juveniles are darker with a silvery, shiny abdomen and have two stripes along the flanks. The head accounts for up to 14 to 21% of their standard length and is wider than that of Pangasius hypophthalmus, the most common species on the world market. However, it is not that wide as of the Giant Pangasius (Pangasius Sanitwongsei).

The Mekong giant catfish is endemic in the Mekong region. Originally, this included the whole Mekong River and its tributaries in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam and southern China. Today, Pangasius Gigas is almost exclusively found in the Tonle Sap Lake and the nearby areas of the Mekong River. The Mekong giant catfish is a pure freshwater fish, living in large rivers preferring water depths of 10 or more meters. They prefer rocky or gravel substrate and are occasionally found in underwater caves.

While young animals feed on zooplankton and small crustaceans – they are even prone to cannibalism – adult Mekong giant catfish are pure herbivores, feeding mainly on algae.

The Mekong giant catfish has been a popular edible fish for a long time due to its size and its tasty meat. Here the meat is tastier than after the spawning migration. However, since the 1950s, annual catches decreased from several hundred to a few individual catches. The stock seems to be in a free fall, reaching a maximum of some 2,500 animals in the wild.

Initial attempts to keep the Mekong giant catfish in farms were started in 1967 in Thailand, as their rapid growth seems promising for commercial use. 1983 was the year of artificial reproduction and the annual production reaches currently over three hundred thousand fish. However, it is still unclear whether attempts of reintroduction to the wild can have the desired positive impact.

Giant Pangasius – Pangasius Sanitwongsei

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 18:12:24 +0000

Pangasius sanitwongsei or the Giant pangasius, not to be confused with Pangasius Gigas, is a species of the Shark catfish family (Pangasiidae). The sanitwongsei species is to be found in the river systems of the Mekong and the Chao Phraya River in Cambodia, in Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.

The Giant pangasius has the typical build of shark catfish and can reach a total length of up to three meters and a weight of some 300 kg. Thus, sanitwongsei is one of the biggest Pangasius species. Head and mouth are wider than of any other species of the genus. The fins are mainly dark.

The Giant pangasius populates in groups of up to 50 animals the main currents of large rivers. Young animals are also found in smaller tributaries and estuaries and might even reach into brackish water. Adult sanitwongsei do not migrate in the flooded areas, even in the rainy season, despite most other species after spawning. The Giant pangasius feeds primarily on fish, but also crustaceans. Larger animals might also eat carrion or floating plants.

The species is traditionally fished, using poultry or dog carcasses as bait. Large animals are partially obscured before the sale by cutting off the fins as they sell worse on local markets for being known as scavengers. Due to their size and rapid growth attempts were made to raise Pangasius sanitwongsei in farms. The species is seriously threatened by overfishing and habitat loss as. Already in 1967 the stock was estimated at a maximum of 2,000 animals.

Pangasius » Giant

Pangasius Gigas - Mekong Giant Catfish

Giant Pangasius – Pangasius Sanitwongsei