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Denise R. Archambeault (1) Jean-Francois Helias (3) Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (1) Danny Blundell (4) Andrew Rao (2)

Habitat: Found in rivers, ponds, lakes, channels and reservoirs. Aquarium Care: This species is not intended to be housed in a community aquarium apart from the reason of aggression towards other fish and conspecifics, and it grows too large for the normal tanks in our homes. Please leave this catfish alone unless you have facilities to move through the growth patterns from a small 3inch specimen on to the tank busting 6ft giant, although they may not reach this size in a captive environment, and would need a large heated pond in a Conservatory like building on its own to do it any kind of justice. The pond would need to be at least 12ft wide by 20ft long as this is a quick growing catfish given the right dietary requirements. Provide hiding places such as large pipes, driftwood and rocks. Reproduction: Oviparous, distinct pairing possibly like other members of the same genus. Diet: Predatory, adults feed on small fishes and worms. Etymology: The genus name Sperata: a-, belonging to: Maria Adolfine Sperat, Holly’s late mother-in-law, who had supported Holly’s studies with “great understanding” or “sympathy” (depending on the translation) [replacement name for Macrones Duméril 1856, preoccupied by Macrones Newman 1841 in Coleoptera]. The specific name aor: from the Bengali common name for this fish: "AYRE" for Sperata aor.

Indian Shovelmouth Catfish, Long-whiskered catfish.

Pimelodus aor, Orichthys aor, Mystus aor, Macrones aor, Aorichthys aor

Bagridae

Asia: Ganges River system and peninsular India south to Cauvery River basin. Type locality: Rivers of Bengal, and upper parts of the Gangetic estuaries.

180.0cm (6ft)

23-26°C (73-79°F)

6.0-7.2.

Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2009. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (01/2009).