- Giraffe catfish
Taxobox
name = Giraffe catfish
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Actinopterygii
ordo =Siluriformes
familia =Claroteidae
genus = "Auchenoglanis "
species = "A. occidentalis"
binomial = "Auchenoglanis occidentalis"
binomial_authority =Valenciennes ,1840 The giraffe catfish, "Auchenoglanis occidentalis", is anAfrica ncatfish . It eats plants off the floor of lakes and streams.Distribution and habitat
The giraffe catfish is found throughout Africa in lakes and rivers, partially due to introduction and establishment in other areas. [http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/cotm.php?article_id=81 PlanetCatfish • Catfish of the Month • October 1999 ] ] It is found in many important lakes and rivers such as the
Nile andLake Chad . Its distribution covers includes bodies of water from East Africa to West Africa. It generally lives in shallow waters with muddy bottoms.cite web|author=|title=Auchenoglanis occidentalis|publisher=FishBase|accessdate=1 March|accessyear=2007|url=http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=2438&genusname=Auchenoglanis&speciesname=occidentalis]Anatomy and appearance
This fish has a maximum size that sources say are between two and three feet.
The
giraffe -like pattern will fade with age to a two-tone mottled brown. Various subspecies have been described for this fish, indicating some geographical variation in coloration.Reproduction
Eggs are scattered in a nest and guarded by the male. "
Dinotopterus cunningtoni " takes advantage of the care and allows the male giraffe catfish to care for its eggs and young, an example of interspecific brood care.Relationship to humans
The giraffe catfish is occasionally imported for the
aquarium trade. Because of its large eventual size and its fast rate of growth, it is inappropriate for smaller aquaria. This fish will readily accept a variety of foods and is tolerant of a wide variety of water conditions. They will scavenge the aquarium looking for food, which could cause in the uprooting of plants.This fish is also an important food fish in Africa.
Notes
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