Habitat

The species is native to the Mekong and Chao Phraya rivers that run through China, Cambodia, Thailand, Viet Nam, and the Lao People's Democratic Republic. It has been introduced to central Anatolia,South Africa, and Malaysia.

Pangasius sanitwongsei is tolerant of poor water quality, mainly in brackish waters, and prefers to live in the bottom of deep depressions in freshwater rivers.There are currently two sub-populations of Paroon Shark separated by the Khone Falls which they do not migrate over.

Description

The giant pangasius is a typical member of the Pangasiidae commonly known as shark catfishes, which swim off the bottom unlike other catfish families. The species has a silver, curved underside and a dark brown back, possessing dusky melanophores that helps them camouflage. They have a wide, flat, whisker-less head. Its body is compressed and elongate, with a depressed head. It has a continuous and uninterrupted single vomero-palatine tooth-patch which is curved.The first soft ray of their dorsal, pectoral and pelvic fins are extended into filaments. Its fins often contrast with its body, being dark grey to black.The anal fin has 26 rays and the serrated pectoral fin-spine is similar in size to the dorsal spine.

Fully grown giant pangasius can reach 300 centimetres (9.8 ft) SL in length and weigh up to 300 kg (660 lb), though they are typically 2 meters.