Iridescent Shark Complete Aquarium Care Guide (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)

Iridescent Shark Complete Aquarium Care Guide (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus):

The iridescent shark aka iridescent catfish is a very large freshwater fish that only the most prepared aquarists should keep.

While a lot of the care requirements aren’t that complicated, it’s not worth attempting to own one of these if you don’t have the space and resources to do so. These fish need large tanks if you want them to live happy and healthy lives.

This means if you don’t have room or don’t want to spend the time and money maintaining a big aquarium, they aren’t for you.

With that being said, owning one of these fish can be a bunch of fun (and quite rewarding). If you’re interested in owning an iridescent shark and are willing to do what’s necessary to care for them you’ve come to the right place.

In this video, we cover everything you need to know about iridescent shark care. Ideal food, compatible tank mates, their growth rate, and more.

You’ll be an expert by the time you’re finished view this!

00:00 Intro
00:32 Iridescent Shark Habitat in the wild
01:33 Iridescent Shark Information
02:17 Iridescent Shark Difficulties In Keeping
03:12 Iridescent Shark Keeping In a Tank
05:17 Iridescent Shark Feeding
05:54 Iridescent Shark Tank Mates
06:28 Iridescent Shark Breeding

- Scientific Name Pangasianodon hypophthalmus
- Family Pangasiidae
- Common Names: Iridescent shark, iridescent shark catfish, pangasius catfish, siamese shark, sutchi catfish
- Ease of keeping: Easy
- Lifespan: 20 years and more
- Tank size: 220 gallons and more
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Tank type: Community of large fishes
- Diet: Omnivorous
- Temperature: 22–30 °C (72–86 °F)
- pH: 6.5-7.5
- Water hardness: 9–20 dGH
- Size: Up to 130 cm (4.3 ft)

Do you keep Iridescent Shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)? Let us know your experience with them in the comments section below…

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The iridescent shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) goes by a few different common names such as the iridescent catfish, sutchi catfish, and the siamese shark.

Despite what their common name might indicate, these are not man-eating killers of the deep! In fact, they belong to the Pangasiidae family which is comprised of shark catfish. Regardless, they’re always included on every list of aquarium-friendly freshwater sharks.
An iridescent shark swimming in a freshwater aquarium

You can find iridescent sharks scattered throughout Southeast Asia. They’re a tropical freshwater fish that tend to stick to deep and wide rivers where they have enough room to roam freely.

They are condensed in two of the largest rivers in Southeast Asia, the Mekong, and Chao Phraya. These massive rivers are perfect because they allow them to cover significant ground when they migrate at different times of the year.

Iridescent sharks are commonly fished and grown for food in certain areas due to their size and affordability. The name on the food market for these fish is swai.

Iridescent catfish are rather interesting looking animals. While some people think of many catfish as being a little uninspiring in the aesthetics department, it’s hard to argue with the unique look you find with these fish!

One of the things that stands out right away is their unique dorsal fin. It’s shaped like a sail and will fan out or tuck back depending on how the fish is swimming.

Iridescent sharks also have very dark shiny skin when they’re younger. As they grow older their skin becomes less shiny and transitions into a dark, solid grey. This can sometimes confuse people who see them as adults and lead to misidentification.

These fish have long barbels that give them the classic “catfish” look. These help them navigate in waters where there’s low visibility.

One thing you’ll notice is that these fish have rather large eyes! This is especially pronounced when they’re younger (they sort of grow into them as they age).

Their caudal fin has the same semi-flappy, sail-like tissue that you find on their dorsal fin. Their anal fins extend from the flat part of their belly to the bottom part of their caudal peduncle.

When determining if an iridescent shark is a male or female the biggest thing to look for is their size. Females are a bit wider and less streamlined than males.

The average iridescent shark size can reach 3-4 feet in length when fully grown. We weren’t kidding when we said these fish can get quite large!