Order : Siluriformes
Family : CLARIIDAE
Species : Clarias nieuhofii
Maximum Length : 50 cm

Clarias nieuhofii (Slender Walking Catfish) inhabits streams and pools in freshwater swamp forest. Its movement is eel-like in character.

All air-breathing catfishes possess additional breathing structures above the gills which allow them to breathe fresh air, and thereby travel some distance overland in moist conditions.

Clarias nieuhofii is easily identified by the flattened, reddish-brown head and brown body with thin, pale vertical bands. The long dorsal fin is fused to the tail fin, giving it an eel-like appearance. It possesses four pairs of long barbels. Nocturnal in habit it probably preys on a variety of other aquatic life including crustaceans, insects, worms and small fishes.

The species is distributed in a number of Southeast Asian countries including Thailand, Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Fig 1 : 20 cm example in freshwater swamp habitat, Singapore.

Fig 2 : Example from a shallow, forest stream, Singapore.

Fig 3 : Fast-flowing stream with abundant organic detritus in freswater swamp forest in Singapore.