Species learning profile
Mekong giant catfish
Pangasianodon gigas
Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) is a freshwater fish associated with river habitat in Southeast Asia. Adults are nearly toothless and chiefly consume plant material and algae.
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At a glance
- Água
- Água doce
- Habitat
- Rio
- Comprimento máximo
- 300 cm
- Distribuição
- Southeast Asia
- Família
- Pangasiidae
- Ordem
- Siluriformes
Observe
How to identify Mekong giant catfish
- Adults are nearly toothless and chiefly consume plant material and algae.
- Guide context: river habitat in Southeast Asia.
- Reported maximum length: 300 cm — a genuinely giant fish. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with river habitat across Southeast Asia. Flow, seasonal floods, connected side channels, and access to spawning reaches all shape its river habitat.
Behavior
Makes long seasonal river migrations
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Algae and plant material.
Ecological role
Large grazer and flagship for free-flowing rivers.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Mekong giant catfish pode chegar a cerca de 300 cm e costuma viver perto de Rio.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
River fish depend on connected water. Dams, blocked migrations, pollution, and altered flow can matter even when the channel still looks wet.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Mekong giant catfish in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections