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| fishes text index | photo index |
| Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes > Family Plotosidae |
| Striped
eeltail catfish Plotosus lineatus Family Plotosidae updated Aug 10
Where seen? This eel-like fish in pajamas is often seen on many of our shores, among seagrasses, coral rubble and near reefs. Small ones form a ball of many squirming individuals, while larger ones are seen in smaller groups or alone. Features: Adults can reach about 30cm long, those seen on the intertidal range from tiny ones about 1cm, to juveniles about 15cm long. Body long and cylindrical, flattening into an eel-like tail. Colour black, brown or even maroon. Two or three stripes along the body. The white or pale yellow stripes are bright in young fishes and may be faded in old adults. One venomous serrated spine on the dorsal fin and on each of the pectoral fins. These can sting most painfully, and in rare cases, may even be fatal. This is the only catfish found in coral reefs. Sometimes confused with Black eeltail catfishes (Plotosus canius). The adults of these two eeltail catfishes may appear similar as the stripes on the Striped eeltail catfish fades with age. In Black eeltail catfish adults, the long barbels at the top of the snout can extend past the eyes. In adult Striped eeltail catfishes, these barbels don't extend past the eyes. Sometimes mistaken for sea snakes or eels (Family Muraenidae). Here's more on how to tell apart sea snakes, eels and eel-like animals. Catfish babies: Striped eeltail catfishes lay eggs that sink to the bottom (demersal eggs). These hatch into larvae that drift with the plankton before changing into little catfishes. Young striped eeltail catfishes are often found swimming together in a 'ball' of hundreds of fishes, constantly moving but remaining in a ball. Smaller fishes tend to swim in groups of more individuals. As the fishes get bigger, they are found in smaller groups. Adults are usually seen alone. Human uses: Adults are harvested commercially as a food fish with seine nets on the beach or by trawling and marketed fresh. They are also popular in the live aquarium trade although they eat their tankmates, and even one another, as they get bigger. What does it eat? It forages in the sand for crustaceans, molluscs, worms and sometimes fishes. It uses its barbels to sense for prey while stirring up the sand. Status and threats: Our striped eeltail catfishes are not listed among the threatened animals of Singapore. But most striped eeltail catfishes sold in the aquarium trade are wild caught as there have been no large scale successes in captive breeding of these fishes. Like other fish and creatures harvested from the wild, most die before they can reach the retailers. Without professional care, most die soon after they are sold. Those that do survive are unlikely to breed. Like other creatures of the intertidal zone, they are affected by human activities such as reclamation and pollution. Over-collection and over-fishing can also have an impact on local populations. |
 Often found in groups. Sentosa, Sep 04  Barbels around the mouth.  Eel-like tail.  Each about 2cm long. Pulau Semakau, Sep 05 |
Often seen in a group of many fishes, for safety. Don't
break up the group!
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 Each about 6cm long. Sentosa, Jun 06 |
 Each about 4cm long. Kusu Island, Jun 04 |
Striped eeltail catfishes on Singapore shores
 Pasir Ris Park, Jul 09 |
 'Ball' of young fishes. |
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 Labrador, Jul 05  A pair, about 12cm long. |
 Changi, Nov 07  Alone, about 20 cm long |
 Changi, May 02  Alone, about 20cm long. |
video clips and more photos of striped eeltail catfishes on Singapore shores
northern shores | southern shores
Links
References
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The Nature Society (Singapore), Singapore. 343 pp.|
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