Scientific Name- Bagarius bagarius (Hamilton, 1822)
Common Name- Gangetic goonch
Local Name- Gojta, Baghari
Classification
| Class | Osteichthyes |
| Sub-Class | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Siluriformes |
| Family | Sisoridae |
| Genus | Bagarius |
| Species | bagarius |
| Class | Osteichthyes |
Habits and habitat
Botia dayi fish is found in Sone and Ganga rivers and canals. It lives in flowing water with sandy and gravel bottom. Sometimes found in floodplain areas, chaurs, inundated fields. This is mostly found in Rohtas, Bhojpur, Gaya, Jahanad, Aurangabad and other districts.
Salient features
Body is dorsally convex and gradually slope towards head. Ventral side is flattened with light yellow in colour. It has olive deep brown with dark band and blotches. It is bottom dwelling catfish. Body skin is more thickened with specialized unculiferous tubercles. It has adhesive labial organ with which they cling to the rocky or hard substratum. Fins are well developed having light yellowish grey colour. Dorsal fin base runs towards pelvic fin, adepose fin base towards anal fin and centered on caudal fin. Caudal fin is light yellowish grey. All fins with black spots.
Bagarius bagarius fish has four pairs of barbels. It is carnivorous and feeds on insect,worms,crustaceans, small fishes and prawns. It has slow and curly movement on water column. Its breeding season is prior to the monsoon rain. It attains a length of 19cm. It is fatty fish locally known as telahwa machhali.
source-
- Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore
