Mystus cavasius (Hamilton 1822)

Body elongate and compressed; head conical; occipital process narrow. Maxillary barbels, in adults, extend posteriorly beyond the caudal fin base, but in young specimen, do not extend beyond the anal fin. Dorsal spine weak, often feebly serrated. Color is grayish with a more or less well-defined midlateral longitudinal stripe. A dark spot emphasized by a white or pale area along its ventral margin is just anterior to the first dorsal spine. Dorsal, adipose and caudal fins shaded with melanophores.

Procamallanus Infection 5. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Procamallanus Disease 2. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Isoparorchis Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Allocreadium Infestation 1. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Buckleynema Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Cucullanus Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Amphidromous. Refers to fishes that regularly migrate between freshwater and the sea (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding, as in anadromous and catadromous species. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well-grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there (Ref. 82692).

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 10 - 11

Found in tidal rivers and lakes; also beels, canals, ditches, ponds, and inundated fields. Its pectoral spine can cause painful wounds (Ref. 4833). Found in the basinwide tributary of the lower Mekong (Ref. 36667).

Found in tidal rivers and lakes; also beels, canals, ditches, ponds, and inundated fields. Its pectoral spine can cause painful wounds (Ref. 4833). Found in the basin-wide tributary of the lower Mekong (Ref. 36667). Oviparous, distinct pairing possibly like other members of the same family (Ref. 205).

fisheries: commercial

Mystus cavasius, the Gangetic mystus, is a species of catfish of the family Bagridae.

In the wild it is found in Indian Subcontinent countries such as, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Myanmar. Reports of this species from the Mekong basins, Malaysia, and Indonesia are misidentifications of the species Mystus albolineatus or Mystus singaringan. Few populations are occur in Thailand, but only in the Salween basin.

It grows to a length of 40 cm. The pectoral spine of the species may give painful wounds and sometimes can be venomous.

The population is known to be decreasing in recent past, due to catching, pet trading and habitat destruction.