Eel-tailed catfish

Fish Species
Tandanus tandanus thumbnail

Tandanus tandanus

  • Freshwater
  • Least concern
Max length35.5 in
Common length17.75 in
Length typeTotal Length
Max weight13 lb 4 oz
Min Depth33 ft
Max age8 years
Water typeFreshwater
Water temperature41 - 77 °F

Fish info

Common names

Dewfish, Freshwater catfish, Jewfish, Tandan

IUCN Vulnerability status

  • Least concern

    • Short description

    Eel-tailed catfish have large a head with thick and fleshy lips and tubular nostrils. The skin is tough and smooth. Body colouration in adults varies from olive-green to brown, black or purplish on their backs and white on the underside. A downturned mouth with fleshy lips surrounded by a number of barbels assists them with feeding. They are a solid, almost cylindrical, elongated fish, with the posterior half of their body tapering into a pointed eel-like tail. A continuous fin margin surrounds this tapering posterior half of the body. Their eyes are small. The eel-tail catfish has 4 pairs of barbels surrounding the mouth, and sharp serrated dorsal- and pectoral-fin spines which are venomous and can cause a very painful wound.

    Habitat

    They inhabit slow-moving streams, lakes and ponds with fringing vegetation. They swim close to the sand or gravel bottoms. This species is more abundant in lakes than in flowing water.

    Distribution

    Native to the Murray-Darling river system of eastern Australia.

    Behaviour

    Though they are usually solitary, juveniles may form aggregations. Juvenile eel-tailed catfish feed on zooplankton, and small insects, particularly chironomid larvae, while adults include shrimp and crayfish in the warmer months and midge larvae in winter. In addition, they eat mollusks and dragonflies, caddis and mayfly larvae.

    Edibility

    Considered by some to be the finest freshwater fish of all to eat, eel-tailed catfish have white flesh and an excellent, delicate flavour.

    Lure suggestion

    Catfish are usually caught on bait. Be careful when handling the fish, whether for release or not, as the leading edge of the fins has spines that can give you a nasty jab. Good bait: shrimp or scrubworms.