Engraved catfish
📖 Overview
Mostly marine. Enters brackish waters and tidal rivers . Regularly ascends into fresh water in the Mekong delta . Feeds mainly on invertebrates and small fishes . Marketed fresh, also dried-salted. An important food fish.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Anal soft rays: 16 - 30. Head profile concave at nape. Head shield strongly rugose and granulated; supra-occipital process short, about as long as broad, with median keel, hind end concave. Dorsal and pectoral fins with very strong, thick, and coarsely granulated spine; tip of dorsal spine produced into a long filament; adipose fin rather large. Body with metallic blue luster. Tip of dorsal fin blackish, its filament black; pectoral, pelvic and anal fins dusky; caudal fin paler; adipose fin either entirely black or bearing a large black blotch on upper half.: elongated; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Engraved catfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; demersal; amphidromous . Tropical; 25°N - 8°S, 62°E - 117°E east and west coast of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, the Indo-Australian archipelago but not in the Philippines or Australia.
🌿 Ecology
invertebrates and small fishes (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
⚠️ Venom Profile
- immediate intense pain
- swelling
- erythema
- occasional nausea and weakness
Analgesia; wound care; tetanus prophylaxis; severe cases may require monitoring for systemic effects.
References: Compiled from Bhide (2018), Halstead et al. (1988) and family-specific envenomation literature
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Kyataphisa Caelata is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Detailed nutritional data for Engraved catfish is currently being compiled from USDA FoodData Central.
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Engraved catfish has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Engraved catfish ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.