Bagarius yarrelli

Among the most fearsome of all freshwater predators, the “Goonch” Catfish of the genus Bagarius have long been sought after by aquarium fish keepers with enormous tanks and a love for monster fish. Several species and variants of Goonch are found throughout the Mekong River Basin in Southeast Asia, and of these the Mekong or Thai Goonch (B. cf yarrrelli) are among the most suited for aquariums. These fish inhabit powerful rapids along the middle stretches of the river, near the Thai/Laos/Cambodia Borders and are found in almost tropical temperatures ranging from 75-78F, unlike the Highlands Giant Goonch from India which is found in much cooler waters. This species also tends to have the best track record in captivity, and usually thrives in suitably large aquariums with well-oxygenated, clean water and strong current. They can grow larger than 36 inches in captivity and push over 6 feet in the wild.