African Catfish
Clarias gariepinus
African catfish is a hardy, air-breathing catfish native to freshwater and brackish habitats across Africa and the Middle East, prized in Kenya for its rapid growth and tolerance of poor water quality.
Species
Fish
Family
Clariidae
Climate requirements
Thrives in warm water around 25-30C typical of Kenya's low-to-mid altitude regions; growth slows sharply below about 20C, making it less suited to the cold highlands than trout or tilapia.
Husbandry guide
Reared in earthen or lined ponds, with fingerlings stocked at roughly 3-10 fish per square meter depending on management intensity; its accessory air-breathing organ lets it survive low-oxygen, crowded conditions that would kill tilapia. Feed 35-40% crude protein floating or sinking pellets at 3-5% of body weight daily, with rice bran or chicken intestine sometimes used as cheaper supplements at nursery stage. Water exchange still matters despite the fish's tolerance, since ammonia buildup slows growth. Fish typically reach 500g-1kg market weight in 5-8 months. Regular size-grading is essential to curb cannibalism, a major driver of variable survival rates common in extensive nursery ponds.
Economic importance
African catfish is Kenya's second-most farmed fish species after tilapia, valued for firm boneless fillets, strong urban demand, and faster growth and higher stocking tolerance than tilapia.