Silver butter catfish
Widespread African catfish with a silvery body and shovel mouth
The silver butter catfish is a common freshwater species found across sub-Saharan Africa. It lives in lakes and rivers, feeding on fish and insects, and supports local fisheries as a secondary catch.
- Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Somalia
- Distinctive shovel mouth with four to six nasal barbs
- Mainly eats fish once it reaches 13 to 34 cm in length
- Spawns in floodwater pools during the rainy season
- Populations vary by presence or absence of adipose fin
What it is
This catfish has a distinctive large shovel-shaped mouth surrounded by four to six nasal barbs. Its eyes protrude slightly from the head. The body is silvery with brownish or olive tones on the back and upper head. Two dark grey bands run along its sides. One band follows the lateral line from the gill cover to the tail base, starting with a dark spot. A shorter band runs from the pectoral fins to the anal fin. The fins are mostly transparent, though the anal fin has a dark band near the body. The tail fin is deeply forked with dark streaks in each lobe. Populations in central, eastern and southern Africa have an adipose fin, while those in the north and west do not.
Where it lives
The species is widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Its range extends from the Senegal River in the west across to Somalia in the east. In the south, it reaches as far as the Pongola River in South Africa. It inhabits the lower reaches of river systems and occurs mainly in the shallow and open waters of lakes. As a potamodromous fish, it moves within freshwater systems rather than migrating to the sea.
How it lives
It is a pelagic species that often migrates to the surface at night. The diet consists of fish and a wide variety of invertebrates, including terrestrial insects. Once the fish reaches a length of 13 to 34 cm, it becomes mainly piscivorous. In one study, the redeye barb made up 29 per cent of identifiable fish found in stomachs. It tends to live in compact schools, particularly when moving to spawn.
Breeding and life cycle
Breeding takes place throughout the year but peaks during the rainy season. The fish migrate into rivers in fairly compact schools to spawn. They lay their eggs in floodwater pools created by seasonal rains. This timing ensures the young have access to nutrient-rich shallow waters for early growth.
Fish and people
Local fishermen catch this species for food. However, it is rarely the primary target. Anglers usually capture it incidentally while hunting for other fish species. It forms part of the local diet in many regions across its wide African range.
Questions people ask about Silver butter catfish
How big does the silver butter catfish grow?
This species rarely grows to lengths greater than 30 cm. It is a relatively small catfish compared to some other African freshwater species.
What does the silver butter catfish eat?
It feeds on fish and a wide range of invertebrates, including terrestrial insects. It becomes mainly piscivorous once it reaches a length of 13 to 34 cm.
Where can you find this catfish?
It is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from the Senegal River to Somalia and south to the Pongola River in South Africa, living in lakes and rivers.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Schilbe intermedius", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.
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