African catfish

Clarias gariepinus

The natural habitat of African catfish /Clarias gariepinus/ are Africa and Middle East. It is a freshwater fish, living in lakes and ponds – natural or artificial. The fish could reach up to 170 cm length and 300 kg weight. Clarias gariepinus grows relatively fast – it takes between six and eight months to reach a weight of 2 kg. Cultivation of African catfish in aquaculture systems began in the 1980s. As a result  it can be found outside of its natural habitat in Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, India and Europe.

Nutrition facts

The culinary experts share the opinion that regarding taste Clarias gariepinus (African catfish) is pretty similar to sturgeon, tilapia, pangasius and other fish species with highly valued taste. Its tender white meat is easy to prepare, without smell and small bones, making it an appropriate ingredient of children and baby menus.

Considered for a fish delicacy Clarias is a freshwater fish and its meat belongs to the group of dietary foods rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, an optimal combination of proteins, fats and amino acids, and also a reliable source of vitamins A (50.0 IU), C (0.7 mg) and D (500 IU), while vitamins E and K are completely absent.

Raw African catfish is a good source of minerals - calcium (14.0 mg), magnesium (23.0 mg), potassium (358 mg) and sodium (43.0 mg), omega-3 (535 mg) and omega-6 fatty acids (101 mg). Clarias is a fish with an extremely varied amino acid composition that is important for the normal functioning of the body, with good amounts of the following amino acids: leucine, lysine, alanine, arginine, and aspartic and glutamic acid.