Crystal-eyed Catfish, also known as Black Devil Catfish, belongs to the Bagridae family of catfish.
This fish lives in large rivers with fast-flowing water and muddy bottoms. It’s mainly found in the middle parts of rivers.
Its diet includes insects, prawns, and other fish. People often sell this fish fresh in markets.
You can check out what this fish looks like over here.
Crystal-eyed Catfish Interesting Facts
- Crystal-eyed catfish, or Hemibagrus wyckii, lives in large rivers with fast-flowing water and muddy bottoms.
- Its diet consists of insects, prawns, and other fish.
- The fish is found in Asia from Thailand to Indonesia and prefers water temperatures between 71°F to 77°F (22°C to 25°C).
- Unique features include a flat head, long dorsal spine with serrations, cream-colored areas near fins, and whiskers reaching halfway to the base of the dorsal fin.
Crystal-eyed Catfish Habitat
Crystal-eyed catfish is found in Asia, specifically from Thailand to Indonesia. It lives in freshwater environments and is a bottom-dwelling (demersal) fish.
It also migrates within rivers (potamodromous). This tropical fish prefers water temperatures between 71°F to 77°F (22°C to 25°C).
| Water Temperature: | 71°F to 77°F (22°C to 25°C) |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Crystal-eyed Catfish Physical Characteristics
Size: 28 inches (71.0 centimeters)
Crystal-eyed catfish grow up to 28 inches (71.0 centimeters). This catfish has a unique set of features:
- Its head is very flat and wide.
- It has a long, well-developed dorsal spine with 10 to 12 serrations on the back edge.
- The area near its front fins is cream-colored.
- The tail fin is dark grey but with cream-colored edges and first main rays.
- The whiskers (maxillary barbels) reach halfway to the base of the dorsal fin.
Other characteristics include a smooth, flat skull roof, an occipital process that reaches the base of the dorsal fin, 10 to 11 soft rays in the pectoral fin, and a lack of stripes on its body.
This fish also has white markings on its pectoral and dorsal fin tips, adipose fin’s front edge, upper and lower margins of its tail stalk (caudal peduncle), and caudal filaments (tail extensions).
Crystal-eyed Catfish Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Bagridae |
| Genus: | Hemibagrus |
| Scientific Name: | Hemibagrus wyckii |
| Also Known As: | Crystal-eyed Catfish, Black Devil Catfish |
| Conservation Status: | Unknown |