What is an electric catfish?
Electric catfish is a common name for a family of catfish known as Malapteridae, which includes almost 20 separate types of catfish. The term electric catfish is most often used when a specific type of animal is described, malapterurus electrritus , which is sometimes sold as a home fish and can be seen in aquariums. It is located in the waters of tropical Africa.
As its name suggests, it has the ability to create an electric charge, which is used both to stun prey and to avoid predators. The electric charge is generated by organs in the skin of fish and oily layers of the meat under the hub are insulated by fish to prevent it from being used in itself. His body is one large electric current, with the head serving as a negative pole and a positive story. It is usually beige and has sporadic black spots over most of its body, which is to joke any weight or trademark. During the day, fish usually occur deep in caves or other rocky formations. At night they leave their shelter to eat, especially on foodSmaller fish and crustaceans.
Electric catfish fee cannot kill a person, so it is safe to keep as pets, although the shocks point. However, its electrical properties are enough to kill or injure almost any other aquarium, so it can not have any friends from the tanks. Other special considerations must be made to maintain an electric catfish in the aquarium. The only defensive feature is its electric charge; Electric catfish has no protective scales or plates to protect its skin. An uncovered heater or jagged rock in the aquarium could hurt or even kill the fish. Special care should be taken to ensure that its environment is safe. Like many other types of catfish, the electric cat submits to dark spaces, so a lot of rocks should be provided to provide enough cover. In the substrate also dug their own shelter, so as a result they couldsuffer from any living plants.
In addition to these problems, an electric catfish is a hard fish that will last most of the water conditions. The pH level can be between 7.0 and 8.2 and the temperature can be between 73 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 30 Celsius). But it needs a large tank. While captured electric catfish do not grow as large as those in the wild, it can easily reach 1 foot (30 cm) in length. At least 50 gallons (190 liters) are recommended. And do not try to create pairs for breeding; No one ever succeeded in captivity.