Sutchi catfish are found in the river basins of Southeast Asia. They are also known as iridescent sharks, iridescent shark catfish, Siamese sharks, and swai fish. They are omnivorous fish that are always hungry. They keep on roaming their habitat in search of food. Sutchi catfish have a slimy body that is gray-silver in color with almost no scales. Juvenile fishes have small stripes on their body. They have beautiful fins on their body which have a shimmering shine on them. They have a shark-like dorsal fin and big ventral fins. They breed during the monsoon in upstream areas. In a season, one female can lay up to 10,000 eggs. After fertilization of the eggs, males chase the females out of the territory and look after their eggs alone. Sutchi catfish, in short, are very attractive fishes.Now, this was just the introduction part. Ahead in the article, there are more interesting and funny facts about this fish which will make you amazed. So keep reading!If you like reading fish facts, then do read our firemouth cichlid facts and skipjack tuna facts for kids.
Fun Sutchi Catfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Plant pieces, algae, shrimps, bloodworms, and small fishes
What do they eat? Omnivorous
Average litter size? Around 10000 eggs
How much do they weigh? 97 lb (44 kg)
How long are they? 4.3 ft (130 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Gray-silver with a shimmering glow
Skin Type Smooth skin
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Endangered
Where you’ll find them? Aquariums, And Ponds, River Basins
Locations Southeast Asia, Mainly Vietnam And Thailand
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Pangasianodon
Class Actinopterygii
Family Pangasiidae
Sutchi Catfish Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a sutchi catfish?Sutchi catfish are iridescent shark fishes that are a type of shark catfish.What class of animal does a sutchi catfish belong to?Iridescent sharks or sutchi catfish are striped catfish that are inhabitants of freshwater bodies. They are found in the basins of Southeast Asia. They belong to the class Actinopterygii and order Siluriformes. They are in the family Pangasiidae and their genus is Pangasianodon. Sutchi catfish’s scientific name is Pangasianodon hypophthalmus. These iridescent shark catfish are considered to be a delicacy and are one of most popular foods in Southeast Asia.How many sutchi catfish are there in the world?According to the IUCN Red List, iridescent shark catfish or sutchi catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) are marked as an Endangered species in their habitat. Still, their exact population count is not known. The decrease in population in the wild is the effect of excessive hunting.Where does a sutchi catfish live?The sutchi catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) species lives in freshwater bodies. They inhabit Southeast Asian river basins. They are river fishes and are one of the most loved foods in those areas. People also keep them in aquariums and ponds and later on sell them in the market. The Pangasius hypophthalmus fish is exclusively found in the Mekong basin.What is a sutchi catfish’s habitat?Iridescent shark sutchi catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) are a freshwater fish species from Southeast Asian countries. They inhabit many river basins in countries like Vietnam and Thailand. They are mainly found in the Mekong basin and the Chao Phraya River. These Thai fishes play a major role in the aquaculture there.Who do sutchi catfish live with?Iridescent shark sutchi catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) are big fishes who live in groups. They are extremely social, and in a group, there can be a lot of fishes. They move in groups and search for food in their habitat. They naturally are found in rivers and river basins, but for cultivation, they are also kept in several aquarium and pond areas.How long does a sutchi catfish live?In captivity, the iridescent shark or sutchi catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) can live up to an average age range of 20 years. Their tank size should be around 300 gal (1135.6 l), with enough space for feeding and roaming.How do they reproduce?Sutchi catfish are freshwater fish that are found in rivers of Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries in Southeast Asia. They live and reproduce in water with a normal temperature. They are oviparous, egg-laying fishes that generally live in river basin areas but, for reproduction, swim upstream. They lay eggs in high places, mostly during the monsoon season. During the reproduction season, male iridescent sharks swim upstream and find suitable locations. They wait for females to come, and once they start coming, they form pairs and start breeding. In a season, a female sutchi catfish can produce up to 100,000 eggs. Males fertilize those eggs, and the eggs get embedded for growth and development. One interesting thing that happens here is that after laying eggs, female fishes get chased out of the territory by males. Males take care of the fry and provide them food to eat once they hatch.What is their conservation status? According to the IUCN Red List, iridescent sharks or sutchi catfish are marked as an Endangered species. This iridescent shark species is readily eaten by humans, and this is one of the biggest reasons behind their population decrease.Sutchi Catfish Fun FactsWhat do sutchi catfish look like?Sutchi catfish are a striped catfish species from Southeast Asia. Juveniles and adults are found in several river basins but mostly in the Mekong. They have a fat and elongated body and have very good quality meat. Their meat is very famous in countries like Thailand. This iridescent shark species is not like sharks but it is a catfish species. The size of juveniles is variable, but adults grow to an average length range of 4.3 ft (130 cm), and their body weight range is somewhere near 97 lb (44 kg). Spotting a sutchi catfish is easy. Their body size is really magnificent and their body color is silver and has beautiful fins attached. Their fins are a bit different because their dorsal fin looks similar to a shark’s. Their pelvic fin shows a long growth and reaches to the tail. These striped catfish have big tails. Their body has a strange shimmering glow which seems very pretty. Sutchi catfish have different names like Siamese shark, iridescent shark catfish, and swai. They can also be kept in a freshwater aquarium.How cute are they?Sutchi catfish are very elegant-looking fish. However, they don’t fall under the category of cute. They live in freshwater habitats like rivers and are included in aquaculture in Thailand and surrounding countries. They have a silver-gray body with a shimmering glow on them. Juveniles have stripes on their body. Their mouth is a bit flattened and bear whiskers like the catfish. People love them and also keep them in aquariums too.How do they communicate?Sutchi catfish or swai are a wild river fish species that have a good size. As fish species, they can’t communicate through vocalization. They use vibration patterns to communicate with each other. With the help of their whiskers, they can sense their prey and even the presence of other species near them. All fishes have a lateral line segment organ for detecting even the mildest disturbance that happens in water. With this sensitive organ, fishes can sense the danger coming.How big is a sutchi catfish?Sutchi catfish are freshwater fish with a great size. They live in river basins with normal water temperature. Pangasius catfish are also kept in tanks with a tank size of more than 300 gal (1135.6 l). The size of an adult sutchi catfish is around 4.3 ft (130 cm), and their average weight is around 97 lb (44 kg). Juveniles have stripes on their body.How fast can a sutchi catfish swim?There is no information available on how fast they can swim. We can assume that they are agile and have a good speed in the water.How much does a sutchi catfish weigh?Sutchi catfish spend their life in rivers and other freshwater habitats. They grow to an average length of 4.3 ft (130 cm), and their body weight varies around 97 lb (44 kg). This freshwater shark species has high-quality meat.What are the male and female names of the species?There are no specific names assigned to the male and female sutchi catfish species. Their species, in general, have different names like the Siamese shark, iridescent shark, iridescent shark catfish, and swai.What would you call a baby sutchi catfish?Like all other baby fishes, baby sutchi catfish are also known as fry or young ones. In place of their mother, their father looks after them and provides all the essentials.What do they eat?The sutchi catfish species enjoys an omnivorous diet. They are omnivorous fish that consume anything that is edible. They are always hungry and keep on feeding. Juveniles portray carnivorous behavior. Some common food they include in their diet are algae, water plants, bloodworms, shrimps, and smaller fishes.Are they dangerous?Sutchi catfish do not share their habitat with humans, and moreover, they are timid fishes that run away if they sense humans, so they cause no harm. They are dangerous for their prey as they have an omnivorous diet and consume anything as their food.Would they make a good pet?Yes, they would. Sutchi catfish are kept in tanks of several gallons. They are interactive in nature and communicate to humans with their body language. They are very fun to have. Keeping them is also easy as they feed on anything, frozen or fresh, that is served to them without creating any tantrums.Did you know…Sutchi catfish are readily eaten by humans as they are rich in protein, Selenium, Niacin, and vitamin B12. They are very nutritious and tasty.Sutchi catfish are also known as naked catfish. They cannot survive in extremely cold water temperatures.Sutchi catfish do not share their habitat with humans; in fact, they are timid fishes who run away at first sight of humans due to fear.They use vibration patterns to communicate with each other. With the help of their whiskers, they can sense their prey as well as the presence of other species near them.What do you feed pangasius catfish?Pangasius sutchi catfish are kept in an aquarium as pets. They are omnivores in nature and feed on anything that is edible. They eat both frozen or fresh food. You can serve them bloodworms, brine shrimps, and small fishes, and they would eat it without any problem.Do iridescent sharks eat other fish? Yes, they do. Iridescent sharks, the Pangasius sutchi catfish species, eat little fishes that are found in their natural habitat. They are fishes that are always hungry and need some sort of food to satisfy their hunger.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish, including bonito facts or wolffish interesting facts for kids.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable swai coloring pages.Main image by MelanochromisSecond image by Lerdsuwa
What type of animal is a sutchi catfish?
Sutchi catfish are iridescent shark fishes that are a type of shark catfish.
Fun Sutchi Catfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Plant pieces, algae, shrimps, bloodworms, and small fishes
What do they eat? Omnivorous
Average litter size? Around 10000 eggs
How much do they weigh? 97 lb (44 kg)
How long are they? 4.3 ft (130 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Gray-silver with a shimmering glow
Skin Type Smooth skin
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Endangered
Where you’ll find them? Aquariums, And Ponds, River Basins
Locations Southeast Asia, Mainly Vietnam And Thailand
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Pangasianodon
Class Actinopterygii
Family Pangasiidae
Fun Sutchi Catfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Plant pieces, algae, shrimps, bloodworms, and small fishes
What do they eat? Omnivorous
Average litter size? Around 10000 eggs
How much do they weigh? 97 lb (44 kg)
How long are they? 4.3 ft (130 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Gray-silver with a shimmering glow
Skin Type Smooth skin
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Endangered
Where you’ll find them? Aquariums, And Ponds, River Basins
Locations Southeast Asia, Mainly Vietnam And Thailand
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Pangasianodon
Class Actinopterygii
Family Pangasiidae
Fun Sutchi Catfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Plant pieces, algae, shrimps, bloodworms, and small fishes
What do they eat? Omnivorous
Average litter size? Around 10000 eggs
How much do they weigh? 97 lb (44 kg)
How long are they? 4.3 ft (130 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Gray-silver with a shimmering glow
Skin Type Smooth skin
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Endangered
Where you’ll find them? Aquariums, And Ponds, River Basins
Locations Southeast Asia, Mainly Vietnam And Thailand
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Pangasianodon
Class Actinopterygii
Family Pangasiidae
Fun Sutchi Catfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Plant pieces, algae, shrimps, bloodworms, and small fishes
What do they eat? Omnivorous
Average litter size? Around 10000 eggs
How much do they weigh? 97 lb (44 kg)
How long are they? 4.3 ft (130 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Gray-silver with a shimmering glow
Skin Type Smooth skin
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Endangered
Where you’ll find them? Aquariums, And Ponds, River Basins
Locations Southeast Asia, Mainly Vietnam And Thailand
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Pangasianodon
Class Actinopterygii
Family Pangasiidae
What do they prey on? Plant pieces, algae, shrimps, bloodworms, and small fishes
What do they eat? Omnivorous
Average litter size? Around 10000 eggs
How much do they weigh? 97 lb (44 kg)
How long are they? 4.3 ft (130 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Gray-silver with a shimmering glow
Skin Type Smooth skin
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Endangered
Where you’ll find them? Aquariums, And Ponds, River Basins
Locations Southeast Asia, Mainly Vietnam And Thailand
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Pangasianodon
Class Actinopterygii
Family Pangasiidae
What do they prey on? Plant pieces, algae, shrimps, bloodworms, and small fishes
What do they eat? Omnivorous
Average litter size? Around 10000 eggs
How much do they weigh? 97 lb (44 kg)
How long are they? 4.3 ft (130 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Gray-silver with a shimmering glow
Skin Type Smooth skin
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Endangered
What do they prey on?
Plant pieces, algae, shrimps, bloodworms, and small fishes
What do they eat?
Omnivorous
Average litter size?
Around 10000 eggs
How much do they weigh?
97 lb (44 kg)
How long are they?
4.3 ft (130 cm)
How tall are they?
N/A
What do they look like?
Gray-silver with a shimmering glow
Skin Type
Smooth skin
What were their main threats?
Humans
What is their conservation status?
Endangered
Where you’ll find them? Aquariums, And Ponds, River Basins
Locations Southeast Asia, Mainly Vietnam And Thailand
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Pangasianodon
Class Actinopterygii
Family Pangasiidae
Where you’ll find them?
Aquariums, And Ponds, River Basins
Locations
Southeast Asia, Mainly Vietnam And Thailand
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Pangasianodon
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Pangasianodon
Class Actinopterygii
Family Pangasiidae
