Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Is it legal to keep these fish in various states of Australia?

If so does anyone here keep these?

Common names :- African Catfish, African walking catfish, African Sharptooth catfish

The African catfish, Clarias gariepinus is a freshwater fish originally from Central Africa, and is widely considered to be one of the most important tropical catfish species for aquaculture. They traditionally inhabit calm waters from lakes, streams and rivers to swamps and floodplains. African catfish have traditionally been farmed for almost 20 years on the African continent, but this has not proved particularly successful due to unreliable production techniques. In many other countries such as China, India, Brazil, Hungary and The Netherlands where appropriate techniques and technologies do exist, breeding these fish has proved very worthwhile.

The catfish looks similar to an eel in shape, having a long cylindrical body with very long dorsal fins. It is more likely to be recognised however, for its four pairs of unbranched barbels. The African catfish is known for possessing some uncommon characteristics that make it particularly suitable for intensive fish farming.

The most common habitats frequented are floodplain swamps and pools in which the catfish can survive during the dry seasons due to a special air-breathing organ that functions like a lung. This allows the fish to get its oxygen out of the air so there is no need for devices to put oxygen into the water, as needed for other farmed fish. This respiratory organ is composed of two pear-shaped air chambers containing two branched structures. These cauliflower-like structures are supported by cartilage and covered by tissue that can absorb oxygen from atmospheric air. The accessory air-breathing organ allows the fish to survive for many hours out of the water or for many weeks in muddy marshes.

Catfish can be grown at very high densities due to a number of reasons. They are air-breathers, making oxygen demand easy to meet, they have a relatively high tolerance to poor water quality and have an unusual behavioural response in that they are not aggressive in large numbers. This is because they 'school up', lying stacked on top of each other with their skins touching. In this situation they show little or no aggression.

Taste - The flesh of African catfish is tasty, free of any off-flavour and fish-bones. It has a mild taste and a firm texture that doesn't fall to pieces when prepared. The fish meat is lean with around 2-4 per cent fat (most of it unsaturated fatty acids), and a high protein level of approximately 18-21 per cent. The fish has such a mild, almost neutral taste, that it goes well with potatoes, rice and vegetables. With the absence of a strong fish smell while preparing, catfish fillets are often favoured to regular sea-fish.

Links to info and photos:

http://species.fishindex.com/species_21 ... tfish.html

http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/C/Clarias_gariepinus.asp

http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Country/Co ... gariepinus

So that's a lungfish.

Here's a link on husbandry

Hmm buttons aren't working

Manually then

http://cdserver2.ru.ac.za/cd/catfish/catfish/index.htm

Thanks for the info my friend ..

Appreciated ...

anyone actually doing this?

Hey J7, these appear similar to catfish but are definitly lungfish... not sure from AA's post how similar the two species are??

QLD Lungfish

Exporting them ...

Exporting Lungfish

In Queensland they are a Noxious fish and heavy fines apply.

http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/1347.html


Not listed in WA as noxious.

http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/pub/Rest ... x.php?0505

Apparently they are expensive and difficult to get hold of in WA.

A great option for African systems judging from the reading I've done.

I love the low DO of them - warm systems and no panic on DO.

These are a common angling fish in South African dams. They get absolutely huge in the Hartebeespoort dam near Johannesburg. In fact there is a urban legend of a man eating car sized 'barbel' (what we call them) that hangs out at the dam wall...

These fish could be ideal for my system as I am about ready to cycle and put fish in my system but can't do trout as there is not enough time before it gets too hot for them, can't do tilapia as it is too cold now. Was going to do carp but I am not convinced they would make good eating. I wonder where I can get some African Catfish

Good day. I'm new here. Trying to start a hatchery for African catfish. My hatchlings keep dying after 2weeks. Almost 100% mortality.
Any help, please?

Water conditions. Correct temp, pH, filtration and aeration are critical. If they live for two weeks maybe they are not getting enough food, the right kind of food, or the filtration cannot handle the bio-load from the amount of fish and food.