Electric Catfish

Quick Take

• Ancient Egyptians gave this fish a nickname that makes perfect sense once you know how fishermen reacted to its shock. Ancient Egyptian depictions →
• Carrying 350 volts should make this fish terrifying to predators. Yet only one type of creature regularly dares to hunt it. Its rare natural predators →
• Before resorting to a shock, this fish runs through a surprisingly ritualized threat sequence most people wouldn't expect from a catfish.
• Its electric organ is made of something unexpected, and it sits somewhere unusual on the body. Its unusual body structure →

The electric catfish family is not the only catfish family with an electric organ, but its electrical ability is particularly well-developed compared to the others. The catfish can discharge a shock of up to 350 volts to defend itself and capture prey. The shock also helps it navigate its environment. The organ is composed of gelatinous muscle tissue set beneath the naked skin. This discharge is not known to be fatal to humans, but it can nevertheless hurt. Electric catfish are sometimes kept in aquariums as pets.

3 Electric Catfish Facts

• The electric catfish was once depicted within the tombs of the ancient Egyptians. they called this fish “he who had saved many in the river,” because when fishers received an electric shock from this fish, they would drop their entire catch in the water, thereby saving many of them from being eaten.
• Electric catfish are primarily nocturnal. They are most active for the first four or five hours after sunset. The rest of the day is spent hiding in shelters.
• Electric catfish are highly territorial. They will use the electric discharge to defend their territory against intruders of the same species. The defender will usually give an open-mouth display and then sway back and forth with its arched body. If that isn’t enough to deter the intruder, then it will start to bite and discharge a shock. Against intruders of a different species, they may resort directly to electric shocks.

Classification and Scientific Name

The family name of the electric catfish is Malapteruridae. This name roughly translates from Greek to mean ‘soft fin tail.’ Mala means soft, pteron means fin, and oura means tail. There are two recognized genera within this family: Malapterurus and Paradoxoglanis, together comprising around 21 species, with the majority belonging to Malapterurus and approximately three species in Paradoxoglanis. The scientific name Malapterurus basically has the same meaning as the family name, but Paradoxoglanis translates to mean paradoxical or strange catfish.

Appearance

The electric catfish looks like most members of its order. It is characterized by a long, puffy body with thick lips, small eyes, a rounded snout, and three pairs of barbels (sensing organs that resemble whiskers). This fish has rounded pectoral and pelvic fins but lacks the dorsal (back) fin entirely. Some full-grown specimens from this family can easily measure up to 4 feet long from snout to tail, but most range somewhere between 2 and 3 feet on average. They are generally gray-brown on the back and sides. This coloring slowly fades to white or cream around the belly. Some have irregular black spots around the sides of the body, too.

Distribution, Population, and Habitat

The electric catfish can be found in freshwater lakes and rivers throughout Africa, particularly in the Nile River and its basin. They generally prefer slow-moving or standing water with low visibility and lots of hiding places. The population status varies by species. According to the IUCN Red List, most species are considered to be species of least concern, but some are data deficient instead (meaning scientists haven’t gathered enough data about their population numbers). They do not appear to face many threats in their wild habitat.

Predators and Prey

The electric catfish is one of the top predators in its natural habitat. Some species are bottom feeders, while others are active hunters. They can root around in the dirt with their long barbels.

What eats the electric catfish?

The electric catfish has few natural predators in the wild besides perhaps tigerfish and a few other larger types of fish.

What does the electric catfish eat?

The electric catfish feeds on a wide variety of different fish, invertebrates, and eggs by paralyzing its prey with an electric discharge. Many species are thought to be slow-moving and somewhat sedentary. This means they are probably opportunistic feeders that wait for food to wander through their territory, or they sift slowly through the dirt.

Reproduction and Lifespan

Not a whole lot is known about the reproduction of the catfish, but if it is like other members of the catfish order, it will only begin spawning once the water has reached an ideal temperature. When the timing is right, the fish will pair up with a mate and create a nest approximately 10 feet in length along the clay banks of a river or lake. The size and age of the female often determine how many eggs she lays in the nest, which the male then fertilizes. It is not known whether the male guards the nest against predators, but this seems likely based on behavior seen in related species. The fry typically leave the nest within a few weeks of hatching and begin to fend for themselves. The lifespan in the wild is thought to average about 10 years.

Fishing and Cooking

Smoked catfish is consumed as a delicacy in some parts of eastern Africa. It is also caught for the pet and aquarium trade.