BIOLOGY OF PANGUS (PANGASIUS HYPOPHTHALMUS)

(SAUVAGE, 1878)
INTRODUCTION
Biology is a vast area of science composed of many branches. It is the natural science that
involves the study of living organisms along with their physiology, anatomy, growth and
development, reproduction, body composition, and evolution.
Pangus is one of the most cultured species in Asia. Because of the fact, it is also called
“Aquatic Chicken”. Despite of being a species of Mekong River of Vietnam, Pangus is
extensively cultured in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh and other Asian
countries. Pangus culture is one of the major aquaculture activity in Bangladesh. In 2014-
2015, Pangus contributed about 11.04% of total fish production (Shamsuzzaman, 2017). So,
it is necessary to study the biology of this catfish. In this assignment, biology of the species is
discussed along with taxonomic classification, distribution and habitat, larval development
etc.

TAXONOMIC CLASSIFICATION
According to Catalog of Fishes, 2005, taxonomic classification of Pangus catfish is given
below:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Pangasiidae
Genus: Pangasius
Species: P. hypophthalmus
Bionomial Name: Pangasius hypophthalmus
English Name: Iridescent Shark
Other common names they are known by are Pangasius Catfish, Sutchi Catfish, Siamese
Shark, Asian Shark Catfish, Shark Catfish, Tiger Shark, and Striped Catfish.
Some Other Species of Pangasius:
P. pangasius (Hamilton, 1822)
P. bocourti (Sauvage, 1880)
 P. conchophilus (Roberts & Vidthayanon, 1991)
P. myanmar (Roberts & Vidthayanon, 1991)
P. sanitwongsei (Smith, 1931)
P. buchanani (Valenciennes, 1840)

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

Pangasius is a highly migratory riverine fish species. It inhabits in large rivers, streams, lakes,
coastal waters and estuaries and potamodromous (Riede, 2004) in nature. Pangasius
hypophthalmus is native to the Mekong basin, as well as the Chao Phraya River and
Maeklong basins, chiefly in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. They have also been
introduced into other river basins for aquaculture purposes. They are found as juveniles in
schools of large numbers, especially in stretches of rapids in major Asian rivers, but are
loners as adults. The dates of the migrations vary depending on the river system. In the
Mekong river basin, they migrate upstream in May to July and return downstream during
September through December. South of the Khone Falls, upstream migration occurs in
October to February, with its peak in November to December; here, it appears to be triggered
by receding waters at the end of the flood season (Froes, 2012). This tropical fish is
benthopelagic, living within the ranges of pH 6.5-7.5. It prefers 22-26 °C temperature of
tropical region (Riehl, 1996). In Thailand, it is considered the most important aquaculture fish
(Roberts, 1993). It is also very popular farmed fish in Bangladesh.

MORPHOLOGY
Body of P. hypophthalmus is long, latterly flattened with no scales. Head is relatively small,
eyes are relatively large, mouth broad with small sharp teeth on jaw. Two pairs of barbells are
present, upper barbell is shorter than the lower one. Young fish have black stripe along lateral
line and another long black stripe below lateral line. Young ones are iridescent in color, but
large adults are uniformly grey. The fins are dark grey or black. Dark stripe present on middle
of anal fin; dark stripe in each caudal lobe is visible. Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays
(total): 7; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 29 – 32.
This is a large fish that can reach a maximum size of 4 feet (130 cm) in length and have been
known to weigh 97 lbs. (44.0 kg). They will generally reach about 39 inches (100 cm) in the
aquarium, and have a lifespan of up to 20 years. There are also other species of Pangasius that
are sometimes sold as Pangasius Catfish, namely Pangasius pangasius and Pangasius gigas,
that can reach 9 feet (300 cm) long (Brough, 2017).
LIFE HISTORY
The life cycle of P. hypophthalmus is intimately tied to the annual monsoon flood cycle, with
spawning taking place in May - June at the start of the monsoon season. In the dry season-
congregate and shelter in the deeper refuge areas. The spawning habitat consists of rapids and
sandbanks interspersed with deep rocky channels and pools. The eggs are sticky eggs and are
deposited onto the exposed root systems.

GROWTH AND MATURITY

Mature fish can reach a maximum standard total length of 130 cm and up to 44 kg in weight.
Its growth rate is rapid and it can live in the wild for as long as 20 years. After around 2
months during breeding, it reaches about 10-12cm long and 14-15 grams in weight. By the
age of 10, it can reach around 25kg in farming ponds, and those weighing between 800 -
1,100 grams after 6 - 8 months (not including the breeding stage) are best for harvesting.
Females become mature in 3rd year (being over 3 kg wt.) and males in 2nd year. Wild
broodstock typically spawn twice annually.

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM
P. hypophthalmus has no external characteristics allowed for distinction of sex. Male could be
identified only when sexually mature by emission of sperm upon hand pressure on to the
abdomen. And female when oocytes could be sampled by intra-ovarian biopsy.

FECUNDITY
A mature 10 kg female can spawn over one million eggs. Wild broodstock typically spawn
twice annually but in cages in Viet Nam have been recorded as spawning a second time 6 to
17 weeks after the first spawning.

BREEDING
Like all Pangasiid species, P. hypophthalmus is a highly migratory riverine fish species that
makes long-distance migrations over several hundred kilometres (potamodromous) between
upstream refuge and spawning habitats and downstream feeding and nursery habitats.

FOOD AND FEEDING HABIT

P. hypophthalmus is omnivorous, feeding on algae, higher plants, zooplankton, and insects,
while larger specimens also take fruit, crustaceans and fish.
LARVAL DEVELOPMENT
Incubation period -24-36 hour at 20-30°C. Newly hatched larvae- quite transparent, light
yellowish, with a body length of 2.98-3.10 mm. Eye pigments appear and the heart starts to
work within 12-14 h of hatching. 1-day-old pro-larvae- mouth becomes well developed;
barbules are elongated, prominent and look like tiny threads. 3 day pro-larval stage- yolk sac
fairly well absorbed, palatine teeth fully developed. At the end of 12 days of larval
development- the stomach becomes functional and aerial respiration starts. After 2 weeks- the
young fry is well-developed, and is of an adult appearance, that is, measuring up to 13.56 mm
in length.

CONCLUSION
Pangasius hypophthalmus is one of the major livestock organism in the Asia, Africa,
Australia and some other parts of the world. It is also extensively culture in Bangladesh. For
successful aquaculture production of Pangas, it is essential to know their Biology, so that the
culture can be more effective and economically beneficial. For the scientific approach of
aquaculture of any species, knowing their biology is the first priority.
REFERENCES
Catalog of Fishes, 2015. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/RefRpt?
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Riede, K., 2004. Global register of migratory species - from global to regional scales. Final
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Bonn, Germany. 329 p.
Riehl, R. and H.A. Baensch, 1996. Aquarien Atlas, Band 1. 10th edition. Mergus Verlag
GmBH, Melle, Germany. 992 p.
Roberts, T.R., 1993. Artisanal fisheries and fish ecology below the great waterfalls of the
Mekong River in southern Laos. Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. 41:31-62.
Shamsuzzaman, M. M., Islam, M. M., Tania, N. J., Al-Mamun, M. A., Barman, P. P., & Xu,
X. (2017). Fisheries resources of Bangladesh: Present status and future direction.
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Brough C. (2017). Iridescent Shark. Retrieved from Animal World: Pet and Animal
Information: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/pangasius.php
Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2012). "Pangasianodon hypophthalmus" in FishBase.
February 2012 version.