Home / Fishes / Catfish / Giant pangasius
Federal restrictions applyGiant pangasius
Pangasius sanitwongsei
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Pangasiidae (Pangasius shark catfish)
The giant pangasius, paroon shark, or Chao Phraya giant catfish (Pangasius sanitwongsei) is a species of large freshwater fish in the shark catfish family (Pangasiidae) of order Siluriformes, found in the Chao Phraya and Mekong basins in Indochina.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 96 in long and 39 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 19.7 in / 50 cm; the largest recorded was 118.1 in).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Warnings
Care guide
Species care notes
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 75–81 °F, pH 6.5–7.5.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Diet: “It's omnivorous, but is primarily a meat-eater.”
- Breeding: “It's a migratory species, moving upstream to spawn during the late spring and summer months.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Catfishes
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rivers and streams. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Hiding places (caves, driftwood) and soft substrate for bottom-dwellers.
- Some species (redtail and shark catfish) grow huge and suit only public aquariums.
Diet
- Sinking pellets and wafers; vegetables for plecos; meaty foods for predators.
Health watch
- Bottom-dwellers suffer on dirty or sharp substrate.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
Its populations have declined drastically, mainly due to overfishing, and it is now considered Critically Endangered.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Giant pangasius” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits large rivers. Juveniles are found in larger tributaries. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 93°F (up to 95°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 65°F (down to 56°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 76–83°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 71–76% on average (driest month about 65%) |
| Rainfall | about 1889 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 15 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The giant pangasius, paroon shark, or Chao Phraya giant catfish (Pangasius sanitwongsei) is a species of large freshwater fish in the shark catfish family (Pangasiidae) of order Siluriformes, found in the Chao Phraya and Mekong basins in Indochina. Its populations have declined drastically, mainly due to overfishing, and it is now considered Critically Endangered. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Adults inhabit large rivers. Juveniles are found in larger tributaries. Both young and adults feed on fishes and crustaceans. — FishBase |
| History and naming | The specific name sanitwongsei was chosen by H.M. Smith to honor M. R. Suwaphan Sanitwong for his support of fisheries in Thailand. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Conservation | This fish is highly protected and has a high conservation value and is banned from being fished through all seasons. The fish is being threatened by overharvesting, damming of rivers, and pollution. Their population continues to decline as there are not many legislations and enforcement toward this species. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Common length to maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.
pH
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- A chromosome-level reference genome assembly of the giant pangasius (Pangasius sanitwongsei) Gan B et al., Scientific data 2025
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- 50 CFR 17.11: Endangered and threatened wildlife Zoo, university or veterinaryCurrent federal Endangered Species Act list.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
