Eel-tailed catfish? Please help ID

Picked this up yesterday to go into a 4ft. Guy at LPS didn't know what it was, but it's definitely an eel-tailed catfish of sorts, but the question is which?

Help with an ID would be appreciated. Thanks! :top:

 

Looks like something you catch at vaal dam

 

lol yeah I know. Couldn't say no when I walked past it. have it in a 4ft with a juvenile Bluegill that I was given from a drained pond before it became cat food

 

Thanks @Reedfish, I think you're on the right track there. I'll look into it. But now if it is Heteropneustes spp that means it's on the BL... :wacko:

 

ah bugger, not liking what I'm reading about venom glands, potentially fatal etc.

 

looks like he can get big

 

With Reedfish on this one.

Why did you buy it if you didn't know what it was?

 

It looks like it could be in the Clarias family - as it looks similar to my two Clarias batrachus catfish, and it's reminiscent of Clarias gariepinus (The barbel).
<- These are not mine but mine are just like this and I love them.

 

Because not knowing is half the fun and that type of catfish (granted not this one specifically) is what I'd been looking for. Stocking a 4ft tank that revolves around a Bluegill that I was given, but if push comes to shove I've got a spare oversized 4ft that he can go into down the line. And now that I know what it could potentially be and do, I know what not to do, so it's all good

 

Ah would've been great to have found some of these Zeiphex!

 

I also think @Reedfish getting there. It looks pretty small at the moment. Looks like an asian walking catfish, but the natural brown variety. Family clarias, same family as the often fished dam barbel. Its a BL species. They get large, just over 50cm.

 

Thanks Shakes, will continue to look into it

 

It kinda looks like a fishing lure you get as well awesome looking fish!

 

I agree 100% with both of you, and I do normally spend a long time doing my homework so that I "get it right" (have a look at my compressiceps setup), but sometimes an impulse buy is hard to resist. On a positive note, thanks to TASA and its members, I now know to respect this fish and will be able to care for it properly, which in my opinion is a far better situation than if a child or someone without the knowledge, commitment or access to TASA :bigsmile: had taken it home. So guys, thanks for running a great site and online community which I'm happy to be a part of :hatsoff: