[Stab]

Species Name: Malapterurus electricus

Common Name: Electric Catfish, E-Cat

Size: 36" (usually smaller in aquaria)

pH: 6.5-8.5 (not critical)

Minimum Recommended Tank Size: 75 gallons (48x18x20) may be sufficient to house smallest of adult specimens for life.

Native Location: Africa. Widespread throughout continent, found in the Nile, Niger, Volta, Chad and Tanganyika

Temperature: 72-86F (not critical however extremes should be avoided)

Diet: In the wild feeds primarily on small fish and aquatic invertebrates. Can be successfully sustained on a diet of raw de-shelled shrimp, live worms, beefheart, various frozen foods, and live feeders as occasional treat.

Breeding: Unreported in captivity. Thought to spawn in burrows and to be a mouthbrooder.

Aggression: Generally aggressive to same species and very predatory to all organisms small enough to be swallowed. Due to its unique defense mechanism, highly recommended to be housed alone. Likely to eventually injure or kill any tankmate.

Notes: Often described as a "sausage with fins", this fish has a fat scaleless body, small beady eyes, and short fins. There are 6 short and thick tentacle like antennae surrounding the mouth and pointing forward. Mouth is large and usually kept slightly ajar, unless fish is eating. Tailfin is wide, and is the primary source of propulsion. Coloration varies from chocolate brown to brown with a pinkish tint on the back and pale cream on the belly. There is a pattern of dark spots strewn randomly over fish's skin mostly on the flanks. Base of tail is edged by 2 wide stripes of gray/white. As fish grows these stripes may disappear. There are also albino specimens but they are quite rare. M. Electricus' strongest senses are smell and touch. This fish has what appears to be 4 nostrils and a number of pin sized sensory pits surrounding its mouth. It can detect food the moment it touches the water. Although their sight isn't as poor as suggested by tiny eyes, it relys almost exclusively on smell when locating food.

Some people tend to think of e-cats as being boring. At a glance they don't seem to move much, and generally spend their days lying down on the bottom of the tank. This behavior totally changes when fish is hungry. During this time they can be extremely active swimming all over the tank non stop often rushing to the surface. They will even follow your finger against the glass. Despite their chubby form, they can be very fast and agile. M. Electricus' also likes to rearrange their habitat. These fish are extremely strong! I have observed my 5" specimen move 8-10" granite rocks used as decorations in his tank with little effort. They also have an uncanny habit of stuffing their mouths with gravel and spitting it against the glass to get their owners attention. While many sources claim they can be easily hand fed, I would advise against it as this can potentially lead to a nasty electric shock once fish gets bigger.

This fish is very easy to care for. It is very undemanding, tolerates a wide range of parameters, feeds easily, and given its size produces minimal waste. It will literally vacuum every last particle of food off the bottom, not leaving any to decay and pollute the water.

Earliest records of human interaction with Malapterurus Electricus date back 6000 years to Ancient Egypt. Egyptians used the electric ability of this fish in medicine as an early form of electrotherapy. It was also worshipped as a Fish God or Protector of Fishes since if captured it could send a shock traveling through a fisherman's net causing them to drop the entire catch back into the river.

As mentioned above, M. Electricus appears to be endowed with 4 nostrils. Perhaps 2 openings are used for a different sense such as echo location?

I have observed my specimen often raising to the surface and extending its head well above the water for a few seconds at the time. Could this be a sign of auxilary breathing aparatus, most likely a swimbladder modified to function as a primitive lung?

Here are a few things a new e-cat owner should take into consideration:

-Insure large tank is available to house this fish once it puts on some size.
-In the wild M. Electricus lives amongst rocks near the bottom. It will feel much safer if provided with ample hiding places. Strangely, they seem noticeably more comfortable with rocks rather than driftwood or other types of decorations. When setting up a tank for M. Electricus, make sure to eliminate any chance of rocks collapsing. This fish is strong and like digging, therefore it is only a matter of time before it will destabilize rock structures.
-If you decide to take a risk and house your e-cat with tankmates, choose them wisely. Any fish small enough to be eaten most definitely will be eaten. Any other scaleless fish will be much more sensitive to electric current and will not stand a chance of survival. Fish that are very aggressive may be seriously injured or killed by an e-cat defending himself. Some people report successfully keeping electric catfish with large semi-aggressive cichlids. Other bottom dwellers not affected (at least immediately) by electric charges are large plecostomus.
-Take necessary precautions when servicing M. Electricus' tank. This fish is capable of delivering up to 350V of shock. While not sufficient to kill an average adult human, this can feel quite unpleasant. It is advised to wear rubber soled shoes and elbow/shoulder long rubber gloves while doing necessary maintenance on the tank.