The Fish
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.