Freshwater
Churchill
Petrocephalus catostoma
Mormyridae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 15 cm
- Body shape
- Streamlined
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 88 liters
- Diet
- Missing
Know what is missing? Suggest it in the app.
Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
Native
Lives wild in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and 6 more countries.
More about the species
Description
Occurs in shallow and muddy waters, sheltered bays, in lagoons, and swampy areas; prefers quiet parts of rivers where there is abundant vegetation. Forms shoals within quiet reaches of rivers and floodplains, and with other species with identical electric organ discharge (EOD) waveforms. Feeds on insects, found on river bed or in marginal vegetation, on insect larvae and other invertebrates at night. Known to undergo upriver migration which may well be correlated with breeding. Breeds during the rainy season, possibly moving upstream to suitable sites. An unconfirmed report claims the males are territorial and build a nest. Caught in nets for food (5214). Oviparous.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Mormyrus catostoma
- Petrocephalus catastoma
- Petrocephalus catostoma catostoma
- Petrocephalus catostomus
In other languages
- Hohtonuijakala
- Kunene, Northern churchill
Articles
All articles
Ich (white spot)4 min read
The most common disease in aquarium fish. How to recognize it, why it shows up, and how to get rid of it.
How to set up an African aquarium5 min read
Two completely different aquariums: forest rivers with soft, brown water, roots and leaves, and Rift Valley lake cichlids in hard, alkaline water with big rock piles.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.