Wallago Catfish (Wallago attu)

Fish in the family Siluridae. Hard care. Freshwater.

Wallago Catfish

Quick facts

Scientific nameWallago attu
FamilySiluridae
Also known asHelicopter Catfish, Freshwater Shark Catfish, Boal
Care levelHard
Reef safetyFreshwater
TemperamentAggressive
Dietcarnivore
Adult size40 in
Minimum tank size800 gallons
Water parametersTemp 72-82°F, pH 6-7.5, GH 4-18 dGH

Appearance

Long slender silver body with an enormous wide mouth, a long anal fin, and a deeply forked tail; built for ambush.

Difficulty and care for the Wallago Catfish

Hard

Origin and habitat

South and Southeast Asia

Keeper notes

Very large, aggressive, fast predatory silurid with a huge mouth that eats sizeable tankmates. Unsuitable for nearly all home aquariums; needs a pond-scale system.

Log Wallago Catfish in your reef tank

Reef Trak gives you the full record on every species in your tank: acquisition date, source, photos, parameters at time of stocking, and links to maintenance and feeding events. Track Wallago Catfish alongside everything else in your reef.