Walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Walking catfish, Common walking catfish, Clarias catfish, Albino walking catfish, Piebald walking catfish
Family
Clariidae (air-breathing or walking catfishes)
Origin
South and South-East Asia, from Sri Lanka and eastern India through Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand to Malaysia and Indonesia. Invasive elsewhere, including the southern USA.
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
40 cm
Temperature
20–26°C
pH
5.6–8
Hardness
Wide range, 2–25 dGH
Minimum tank
1000 litres
Care level
intermediate
Temperament
aggressive

Care

The walking catfish is a long, eel-like air-breathing catfish with long dorsal and anal fins, a flat, bony head and four pairs of barbels. It is sold in wild brown, marbled and albino (pinkish-white) forms. It can breathe air with a special organ above the gills and can wriggle across land, so a very tight-fitting lid is essential. It grows fast and soon outgrows tankmates that were safe when bought. PlanetCatfish gives a maximum of 40 cm standard length; Seriously Fish quotes a much larger total length and recommends a tank with a base of about 210 × 120 cm for adults. The 1,000-litre minimum here is our estimate between the two, and juveniles can be grown on in smaller tanks for a while. It is not fussy about water: PlanetCatfish gives 20–26 °C and pH 5.6–8.0 and says hardness is unimportant. Provide large hiding places such as clay pipes, plus big, shady wood or rock; plants need to be very well rooted. The front pectoral spines are serrated and can cause painful wounds, so handle with care and use a sturdy net. In the wild form mature males have small spots on the dorsal fin; in other forms look at the genital papilla, which is long and pointed in males and short and blunt in females, and females have rounder bellies. It is an invasive pest where it has been released, and it is a prohibited or restricted species in some countries and US states. Check your local rules before buying or selling, and never release it. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern. Selling: our policies require the adult size and long-term tank needs to be stated clearly in the listing. Large fish must travel by a specialist live-animal courier (see the Livestock shipping guide). Sources: PlanetCatfish (planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?speciesid=90); Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/clarias-batrachus/). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A greedy omnivore that eats almost anything. Feed a mix of sinking pellets, meaty frozen foods such as prawns, mussel and fish, and some vegetable matter. Adults do not need feeding every day; take care not to overfeed.

Breeding

Bred in captivity and widely farmed for food in Asia. Fish mature at about 30 cm. The pair dig a nest, spawning can go on for many hours and produce thousands of eggs, and the male guards the nest. The fry are free-swimming about three days after hatching. Because of its size and invasive status, home breeding is not recommended.

Compatibility and tank mates

A predator that eats anything small enough to swallow. Keep it only with large, robust fish of similar or larger size, such as large Central American cichlids, large cyprinids and big plecos. It is best kept alone or in a well-planned large-fish community.

Last updated 5 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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