Scientific name- Gagata cenia (Hamilton, 1822)
English name- Clown cat-fish
Local Name- Gugata
Classification
| Class | Osteichthyes |
| Sub-Class | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Siluriforrnes |
| Family | Sisoridae |
| Genus | Gagata |
| Species | cenia |
| Class | Osteichthyes |
Habits and habitat
This species is a riverine fish. It lives in Ganga river and associated canals. Very few numbers is found in Triveni canal, these canals originate from Nepal sub mountain. Inhabits in the Sone river and canals also.
Salient features
This is one of those fish which is most attractive at it’s smaller size, but when fully grown is neither good looking nor suited to the aquarium. Only smaller fish is imported. The body is usually cylindrical and without scales. It has brown greyish ground above the lateral line and ventral part is milky white to light brown with four dark black blotches on the dorsal side, which extend to flanks. The caudal fin is silvery white with a black blotch on each lobe, black strips are found on the dorsal fin.
Pectoral, pelvic and anal fins are clear and transparent, it has four pairs of barbels. Barbels are sensory organs to be used as a help to activity. It is omnivorous and fast movers and feeds on crustaceans, small fish, molluscs, plankton and other aquatic animals. It lives on sandy, gravely bottom and rocks, and attains a length of 15cm and is not known to breed in captive condition.
Source-
- Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore
