This species can be distinguished from other Clarias catfishes, apart from the recently discovered Clarias batu and Clarias nigricans, by the greatly elongated body which gives it a remarkably eel-like appearance.
The eel-like catfish of this region were long assumed to belong to the widespread species Clarias nieuhofii but examination of 6 specimens purchased from a fish market in Samarinda in 1999 and preserved specimens from the same location revealed consistent and distinctive differences indicating a separate species.
Clarias nieuhofii | Clarias | Clarias nigricans | Clarias gariepinus | Clarias batu |