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Encyclopedia / Catfish & Plecos / Iridescent shark
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Photo by Gannu03, CC BY-SA · source · credits

Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Iridescent shark

Pangasianodon hypophthalmus · Sutchi catfish, Pangasius

Nervous schooling giant.

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· real AED shop prices, never conversions
130 cmBody length, without tail ✓
22–26 °CTemperature ✓
6.5–7.5pH ✓
14580 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Iridescent shark eats animals up to about 15 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Iridescent shark eats animals up to about 15 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Iridescent shark eats animals up to about 15 cm. Black neon tetra only grows to 3.2 cm.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like frontosa need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (6.5–7.5 vs 8–9). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 25–26 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

111 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓2–30 dGH
Group size ✓3 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Hard
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ✓20+ years
Size in shops 5–8 cm
Growth Very fast

Behavior

Nervous schooling giant.

Not for home aquariums. This fish grows far too big for any home tank. It needs a pond-sized system of thousands of litres, so please don't buy one as a baby.

Good to know: Sold tiny but grows to over 1 metre, and panics and injures itself in small tanks.

Food

Pellets.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Females are said to be stockier with lighter patterning, but this cannot be seen at the size usually sold.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Rarely bred in captivity ·

A migratory river spawner; not bred in aquaria but bred commercially in huge ponds on Far Eastern fish farms.

Pairing

Adults grow over 1 m. Farms use pond groups with hormones.

Setup

Large ponds. Not for home tanks.

What starts it

Hormone injection in farms, season-based.

Eggs

Many thousands of eggs on farms; hatch in about 1-2 days.

Raising the fry

Feed fine live food, then pellets. Grow fast.

Common mistakes
  • Buying a small one for a small tank
  • Expecting home spawning
  • Ignoring adult size
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionMekong and Chao Phraya basins – Thailand, Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam
Rivers and lakesMekong and Chao Phraya rivers
HabitatLarge rivers
Native rangeAbout 800 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the iridescent shark

Not a shark but a large catfish, cultivated as a food fish in most of its native countries. It is Endangered in the wild on the IUCN Red List.

French zoologist Henri Émile Sauvage described this fish in 1878. Despite its shark-like fins and 'iridescent shark' name, it is a catfish. Young fish are sold for aquariums, but it is far better known as one of the world's most heavily farmed food fish.

First described by Henri E. Sauvage in 1878.

  • It is a catfish, not a shark.
  • It is widely farmed as a food fish, often sold as 'pangasius', 'swai' or 'tra'.
  • It can grow to over 1 m.

Sources

17 facts checked with sources