Bony fish · Siluriformes · Pangasiidae
Mekong Giant Catfish
Pangasianodon gigas
It faces an extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. See full glossary
The Mekong giant catfish is a siluriform ray-finned fish of the family Pangasiidae native to South East Asia. It is regarded as one of the largest freshwater fish in the world and is critically endangered.
Weight
up to 350 kg
Size
up to 3 m
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Fun facts
- conservaciónIt is one of the largest freshwater fish on record, and its wild population has fallen sharply as dams have blocked its migration routes.
- It is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world: in 2005 an individual of 293 kg and almost three metres was caught in northern Thailand.
- The adults lose their teeth and almost all their barbels, and switch to feeding mainly on algae and plant matter, which is extraordinary in a catfish of that size.
- Catches across the whole basin fell from about seventy fish a year in 1990 to fewer than ten in recent years.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bony fish)
- Habitat & environment
- The main channel and large tributaries of the lower Mekong; it migrates long distances upstream to spawn at the start of the rainy season
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangasianodon_gigas
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Mekong Giant Catfish — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Not EvaluatedWater Buffalo
Bubalus bubalis
Climbing Perch
Anabas testudineus
Snakehead Murrel
Channa striata
Ocellated Featherback
Chitala ornata
Ghost Catfish
Kryptopterus vitreolus
How to help
The mekong giant catfish is classified as critically endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 5 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about mekong giant catfish.
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