Wels Catfish
Silurus glanis
The Wels Catfish is a legendary European monster fish, famed for its colossal size and formidable predatory instincts in lakes and large rivers.
Ideal Conditions
- Temperature
- 4 – 24 °C
- pH range
- 6.5 – 8
- Hardness
- 5 – 20 dGH
- Adult size
- 150 – 250 cm
- Large private pond or lake
- 20,000 litres+
- Lifespan
- 30 – 50 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Water flow
- low to moderate
- Preferred setup
- Deep muddy bottom with extensive submerged cover, such as large sunken trees, undercut banks, or deep holes for daytime refuge.
About the Wels Catfish
Native to Eastern Europe and Western Asia, the Wels Catfish is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Often reaching well over two metres in length and weighing over 100 kilograms, this scaleless giant commands respect in any aquatic environment. They have been widely introduced across Western Europe for sport fishing, occasionally causing severe ecological impacts as apex predators. In a captive setting, they require monumental volumes of water, completely ruling out standard home aquariums and typically limiting them to public institutions or specially engineered private lakes.
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Where Wels Catfish comes from
Native range
Eastern Europe, Western Asia
Countries / regions
Germany, Russia, Kazakhstan, Romania, Hungary
Habitat
Deep, slow-moving waters of large rivers, vast lakes, and reservoirs, often sheltering in deep holes or amongst submerged roots.
Widely introduced throughout Western Europe (such as Spain, Italy, and France) where they have thrived, sometimes becoming problematic invasive apex predators.
Similar species
Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
Redtail Catfish
Phractocephalus hemioliopterus
We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.
Compatible tank mates
Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.
- Compatible with caution
Common Carp
Cyprinus carpio
Only massively sized adult carp are safe; any smaller carp will eventually be viewed as prey by a large Wels.
- Compatible with caution
Beluga Sturgeon
Huso huso
May coexist in very large lakes if both fish are of similarly enormous proportions, but territorial disputes can occur over bottom space.
- Compatible with caution
Northern Pike
Esox lucius
They occupy different depth zones and can share huge bodies of water, but smaller pike are at severe risk of being eaten.
- Not recommended
Goldfish
Carassius auratus
Will be treated strictly as a food source and consumed immediately.
- Not recommended
Roach
Rutilus rutilus
Natural prey species that will be systematically hunted during the night.
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