Iridescent shark
| Iridescent shark | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Pangasiidae |
| Genus: | Pangasianodon |
| Species: | P. hypophthalmus |
| Binomial name | |
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Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Sauvage, 1878) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Helicophagus hypophthalmus Sauvage, 1878 |
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Helicophagus hypophthalmus Sauvage, 1878
Pangasius sutchi Fowler, 1937
Pangasius hypophthalmus (Sauvage, 1878)
The iridescent shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) is a species of shark catfish (family Pangasiidae) native to the rivers of Southeast Asia. It is not a shark. It is found in the Mekong basin as well as the Chao Phraya River, and is heavily cultivated for food there. The meat is often marketed under the common name swai. It has also been introduced into other river basins as a food source, and its striking appearance and iridescence have made it popular with fishkeeping hobbyists, among whom it is also known as the Siamese shark or sutchi catfish. The swai's omnivorous diet consists of crustaceans, other fish, and plant matter.
The fish is named for the glow or iridescence exhibited in juveniles, as well as the shark-like appearance of this and other shark catfish. It is also known as Siamese shark or sutchi catfish by aquarium hobbyists.
Adults reach up to 130 cm (4.3 ft) in length and can weigh up to a maximum of 44.0 kg (97.0 lb). They have a shiny, iridescent color that gives these fish their name. However, large adults are uniformly grey. The fins are dark grey or black. Juveniles have a black stripe along the lateral line and a second black stripe below the lateral line.
Iridescent sharks originate from the large rivers Chao Phraya and Mekong in Asia, though they have been introduced into other rivers for aquaculture. They are a freshwater fish that natively live in a tropical climate and prefer water with a 6.5–7.5 pH, a water hardness of 2.0–29.0 dGH, and a temperature range of 22–26 °C (72–79 °F). They prefer large bodies of water similar to the deep waters of their native Mekong river basin.
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