Freshwater
African butter catfish
Schilbe mystus
Schilbeidae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 35 cm
- Body shape
- Streamlined
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 1,044 liters
- Diet
- Missing
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Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
NativeIntroduced
Lives wild in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo - Kinshasa, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, and 15 more countries.
Introduced to Congo - Brazzaville.
More about the species
Description
Lacustrine as well as fluviatile species, confined to lakes and moderate to large rivers. Shoals in standing or slowly flowing open water with emergent or submerged vegetation. Generally more active at night or in subdued light. Feed from mid-water and surface waters on a wide variety of foods including fish, insects, shrimps, snails, plant seeds, and fruit. Oviparous, eggs are unguarded. Often important spawning migrations occur. Breed during the rainy season and may be either a single or multiple spawner in different localities, laying eggs on vegetation. May live up to 6-7 years. Max total length 45.0mm. Also caught with drawnets. In general considered as a flavoured, first class eating fish.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Bagrus adansonii
- Bagrus schilbeides
- Bagrus schilbeoides
- Bagrus schilboides
- Eutropius adansonii
- Eutropius altipinnis
In other languages
- Silvermal
- Afrikansk smørmalle
- Hopeamonni, Viherkuultomonni, Vihertäplälasimonni
- African glass catfish, Butter barbel, Butter catfish, Butter fish, Butterfish, Lubangu, Mystus catfish, Silver barbel, Silver catfish
Articles
All articles
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.
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.