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Chaca chaca
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Chacidae (Angler catfish)
Chaca chaca is a species of angler catfish found in the Ganges-Brahmaputra River system of India and the Ayeyarwady River of Myanmar, where it is found in rivers, canals and ponds of grassland, scrubland, deciduous forest and rainforest habitats.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 30 in long and 15 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 7.9 in / 20 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–75°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–8.
- Hardness: 4–25 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- 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.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–77 °F, pH 6–8, 4–25 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament predatory; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “A dimly-lit tank suits this sedentary species.”
- Diet: “It is sometimes possible to wean young specimens onto dried or meaty frozen foods.”
- Tankmates: “A highly predatory species, C.”
- Breeding: “This species has been bred in aquaria.”
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
It is a bottom-dwelling species that inhabits sandy, muddy, or soft substrates where it buries itself for both protection and ambush predation. In Assam, it is locally known as kurkuri.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Chaca chaca” (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. Stays near the bottom. Inhabits rivers, beels, canals and ponds. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–75 °F (22–24 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 4–25 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–75 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 92°F (up to 96°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 52°F (down to 49°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 76–79°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 74–76% on average (driest month about 63%) |
| Rainfall | about 2089 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 17 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 | Chaca chaca is a species of angler catfish found in the Ganges-Brahmaputra River system of India and the Ayeyarwady River of Myanmar, where it is found in rivers, canals and ponds of grassland, scrubland, deciduous forest and rainforest habitats. It is a bottom-dwelling species that inhabits sandy, muddy, or soft substrates where it buries itself for both protection and ambush predation. In Assam, it is locally known as kurkuri. Chaca chaca is occasionally seen in the aquarium trade as an ornamental species due to its unusual appearance and behavior. — 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 |
| Wild diet | Chaca chaca is an ambush predator with several specialized adaptations for its feeding ecology. Unlike most fish species, C. chaca completely lacks gill rakers on the pharyngeal side of the gill arches. This absence is considered an adaptation that facilitates the smooth swallowing of prey items without hindrance, particularly important given the species' ability to consume prey nearly as large as itself. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Appearance and size | Chaca chaca has a highly cryptic appearance with a flattened, broad head and body. The fish is well-camouflaged with mottled coloring that helps it blend into muddy or sandy substrates. The previously documented maximum length was 20.0 cm, but a specimen of 23.8 cm total length was collected in 2024, representing a new maximum size record for the species. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Inhabits rivers, beels, canals and ponds. Prefers soft substrates where it lies concealed in the soft mire of the river bed. It depends upon this concealment for protection and will not even move when it is touched lightly. — FishBase |
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.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
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.
- 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.
