Author: (Fabricius, 1775)
FBname: Bayad
Comments: Found in lakes, swamps and rivers (Ref. 31256).  Avoids salt water (Ref. 31439).  Spends nearly the whole of the daylight hours in crevices of rocks and is therefor seldom seen (Ref. 51850).  Lives and feeds on or near the bottom (Ref. 3034).  Adults exclusively piscivorous (Ref. 31256).  Preys on small fish, particularly <i>Alestes</i> spp. (Ref. 13851), or <i>Chrysichthys auratus</i> as in Lake Kainji (Ref. 3034), but also feeds on insects, crustaceans and molluscs (some debris and vegetable matter may also be ingested) (Ref. 28714). Efficiency of catching prey catfish is maximised by face to face attack, avoiding damage by dorsal and pectoral spines of the prey (Ref. 33614).  There is some indication that the species comes to shallower water to breed (Ref. 43507).  Spawning season extends from April to July (Ref. 51850).  Parents build and guard the nest, which is like a flat disc with a central hole where the eggs are dropped; size of the nest and the central hole depend on the fish size (Ref. 51638).  Males become up to 7 years old, females 8 years (Ref. 51644).  Mean sizes and weight of males are less than those of females from the same age (Ref. 51644, 51645).  An important food fish.  Flesh is good eating and of economic importance (Ref. 36900), commonly sold as food (Ref. 43521).  Reputed to reach 100,000 g.