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Pangasius Catfish

Iridescent Shark Catfish Family: Pangasiidae

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Pangasius hypophthalmus Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   The Pangasius Catfish or Iridescent Shark Catfish are a beautiful fish to watch as they are very graceful and elegant swimmers!

   They do need a lot of room to swim and is a catfish for a large aquarium, they do get very big! Pangasius Catfish or Iridescent Shark Catfish are best kept in a group or school in a large aquarium. They don't thrive as well if kept singly when small.

   The Pangasius Catfish or Iridescent Shark Catfish does not possess the bottom dwelling habit we usually identify with most catfishes, but rather occupies the middle of the aquarium. They are constantly on the move and will occasionally go to the surface for air. These fish are also diurnal, meaning they are active during the day and enjoy a well lighted aquarium.

   Be cautious! The Pangasius Catfish or Iridescent Shark Catfish have bad eyesight and they are a nervous fish that can be easily spooked!

   Don't tap on the glass or startle the fish as it is likely to injure itself in its' mindless flight. They can get hysterical when frightened and dash madly around the aquarium. They will often bash into the sides of the aquarium, ornaments or other fish. After such a flight, you may see the fish sink to the bottom of the aquarium and lie on its side or back until it recovers.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:
   The Pangasius Catfish or Iridescent Shark Catfish fish are found near Bangkok, Thailand. They have also been referred to as the Asian Shark Catfish in some earlier publications.

Size - Weight:
   The Pangasius Catfish or Iridescent Shark Catfish get up to 39 inches (100 cm). Yes, over 3 feet long! There are other species of Pangasius that are sometimes sold as pangasius catfish, namely, Pangasius pangasius and Pangasius gigas that can reach 300 cm or 9 feet long!

Social Behaviors:
   When they are young they like to school up, but will become more and more solitary as the get older. They are generally a good community fish and can be kept with most size tank-mates.

Sexual Differences:
   Males are more slender than the females and have darker striping.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in the middle of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: 2-20° dGH
   Ph: 6.5 to 7.5
   Temp: 72-79° F (22-26° C)

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Although it is raised in Thailand in ponds it does not readily breed in aquariums.

Availability:
   The Pangasius Catfish or Iridescent Shark Catfish is available all the time and is inexpensive.

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Latest Comments
Thats weird, I don't think Pangasius are bad. Honestly it's just that I haven't seen all of yours. I am 13 years old, but had 5 years of experience and my dad is a fish expert, he had about 20 years of experience. We have 3 pangasius sharks in our 75 gallon fish tank. All three are about 5". I got them when they were 1" ACTUALLY. I got them when they were very young. Yes I have experienced them being spooked and faint. But mine got used to it and stopped freaking out, and started to relax. I did not have any fish die or get eaten in my fish tank. If you believe it or not I have a Tiger Oscar, Pangasius, Red belly pacu, Clown Knife, 2 neon tetras, angelfish, gourami, rainbowfish, 6 black tetras, 4 jewel tetras, 2 algae eaters, a cory, clown loach, and a black kuhil loach. People always say my tetras will get eaten by my clown knife, pangasius, Pacu, and oscar but none of them did. They are all alive and healthy. EVERYONE told me to NEVER put a Tiger Oscar in my aquarium saying it's too agressive etc, but I gave it a chance (Many reasons) and the oscar is not agressive AT ALL! It gets along and is very healthy. I know all my fish will grow HUGE, but I'm ready for it. Once my Pangasius grows I'm upgrading to a 125 gallon tank, and sooner or later I'll have to upgrade again. Konho Kim 2009-05-15
Although these catfish are adorable, colorful, and small when juveniles, DO NOT purchase them for your home aquarium. They attain a very large adult size, and quickly outgrow most aquariums. Unless given a very large, spacious tank/ pond to reside in (think at least 1000 gallons)these fish will suffer when contained in small tanks and eventually die from stress. In my opinion, it is unethical for pet stores to sell this species to novice fish-keepers. It is animal cruelty to keep such an animal in cramped living conditions (it's unreasonable for pet stores to sell these fish to ANYONE). About 5 years ago, someone gave me one of these fish as a gift. He quickly grew from 2" to over 9", and is stuck living in a 90 gallon aquarium which is far too small for him. The slightest movements or sounds can startle him and he often injures himself by bashing into the walls of the aquarium. Worst of all, I can't find him a new home, since almost nowhere has a large enough place for him and because most people don't want/can't care for a large pangasius catfish. So if you see these fish at a pet store, don't buy one...and realize that it's irresponsible for anyone to be selling them in the first place. fishyfriend 2009-04-11
I have a Pangasius Catfish that has outgrown my 75 gallon aquarium. He is beautiful and I like him and he lets me touch him when I clean his tank. However, he is just too large and I would not recommend keeping them in an aquarium. There are very few fish that I can keep with him that he won't eat. I am thinking about putting mine outside in my pond. Vicki 2009-02-23
Hey, I feel really sorry for your fish. I hope you feel better. I just bought one for my 13th b-day and I hope that doesn't happen to me. junior Demetrio 2009-02-21
I am 13 years old but have always loved fish. When I was 6, my parents bought me a 5!! gallon tank and a Pangasius Catfish. The reason was the pet store said it would be OK. But I've seen large Pangasius Shark Catfish online... they get to be the size of a medium-sized dog! Please do NOT buy a Pangasius Catfish (or any other fish) on impulse until you know everything about them! Our Catfish got spooked one night and jumped, slammed into the lid, and died. Do not purchase this Catfish until you can give it 300 gallons! because our fish lived its last month in a tank that was 60x smaller than its minimum tank size. These beautiful creatures are not for the average "I-Just-Want-A-Tank-Full-Of-Fish" aquarist. They should also have a round/cube tank. They will often refuse to eat in aquaria and when they come from an LFS infested with parasites. These fish shouldn't be sold at pet stores. Buy from online supplyers, where fish are kept in pristine water in suitable tanks, shipped to serious aquariasts, then GO FOR IT!! AJ 2009-01-05
Some of the coolest comments:
I have had these beautiful sharks now for only two years, and love them desperately. Unfortunately my original two died when I asked a friend to fish sit for me, she over medicated them despite my many warnings on how to medicate. Nevertheless I was able to get two more and have had them just about 8 months now. They have grown from about 2 inches to now 6" and 8". If you are interested in these large beauties be sure to do your research ahead of time. I knew they got large but I never fully planned on this much growth this fast, so for the time being they must stay in their 55 gallon tank. They don't seem to mind, they do travel well. I am in college so they come home with me over the summer and Christmas. They don't seem to mind as long as they get the travel tank to themselves. I have 2 other Lace Catfish that they prefer not to ride with because they like to pester them. Manteo and Viet are always together. He does get quite upset and plays dead every time I clean the thank. She doesn't seem to mind, except for the fact that he's playing opossum and she has no one to swim with. She often pokes him until he comes back to. I have a 75 gallon tank waiting for them back home and can't wait to move them over. Hopefully that will last them another year or so until I can buy a house and give them a proper home. Some things to keep in mind about these guys if you are looking into buying one. They like to school, mine almost never leave each-other's sides. Also, they do not like light, they will bash around the thank until it's turned off. I only use my light as a sign that I am putting food in the tank. They do seem to love variety in their diet. They are very sensitive to changes in the tank, so change things over time. They get very large fast so beware. I have many people in the Marine Biology department who say they have had their sharks for 10 years and they never seem to get any bigger than 6". I'm not sure why because my old ones were about the size of these guys and the same age, and I had only had them 7 months. These guys just don't seem to stop growing, it might be that I only feed, medicate, and condition with natural or organic things. They also receive bottled water because I have well water. Don't worry when they play opossum they'll come back to its just a coping device. Its a hard first fish but really fun if you're ready to dive into the deep end. Remember with medications only to give them 1/2 doses. While the large ones might live thru it, the smaller ones will die. they are scaleless fish. If you are a first time fish owner, fish are amazing pets. They really do have personalities. Manteo, my largest shark is the big, lazy football player of the tank. He's shy, but if he's upset he will bowl everything and everyone over in the tank. Viet is somewhere between a girlfriend in tow and a herding sheep dog. She's always in tow and always prodding if he's too lazy or not giving the attention she wants. Guppy, one of my lace catfish is the nerdy little brother that hides, reading a book in the corner until its time for food or he's being pestered by Cleopatra, my other lace catfish. She is the blatant problem child. She's never happy unless she's bothering the others in the tank. Her days consist of chasing the others relentlessly. And lastly there's Cujo, my fish of the night. He is an upside down catfish. During the day he's such a boring fish, he sits attached to the bottom of one of the leaves in the tank, but as soon as night comes he sneaks off to pester the others. Every now and then I can catch him if I come in and turn the light on unexpectedly. Amber 2008-01-21
I have owned a Pangasius catfish for about 6 years and have now found another home for it. It has grown to 18 inches and eats cichlid staple pellets (7 handfuls a night. Giving it 1 handful then waiting for it to eat it all before giving it another). This fish will grow to maximum length and weight (between 5 and 10 foot, 96 to 300lb depending on type) it doesn't matter what tank you put it in, and needs plenty of room to swim. I would suggest a 5000 litre tank or larger. It is also likely that you will need plenty of money for food as these fish, when full grown, can eat anything up to the size of a small cat (In the wild a Pangasius Gigas will eat animals that fall into the water, such as dogs!). They eat mainly at night. If you want the fish to be calm give it plenty of attention. It will be scared for a while but gets used to it. The only light you will need is the light of your room (no tank lights). I would suggest looking at other types of fish as these should not be sold to the public under any circumstances and, unless you can fill your living room full of water or build an extremely large heated pond, you will only end up getting rid of it. Fergus 2008-01-06
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
hi there, all my 4 yr old wanted for xmas was a shark so i got a 30glln tank and 2 bala and 1 id shark. my id sits in a tunnel we have and hardly ever leaves unless there is food of course. i actually thought he was dead, he floats on his back and stands straight up on his tail and i think he must have hit his head really hard because he is fine now. i am going to get a bigger tank and a few more to keep him company, i just feel bad because he always seems so depressed or he is just really lazy. he had a huge belly for a month, thought he was pregnant, and all of a sudden it was all gone. i don't get it but he still seems healthy. hasn't grown much yet thank god. love shrimp. enjoy your sharks they are awesome katrina clark 2007-02-06

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Author: David Brough. CFS.