The African butter catfish (Schilbe mystus) is a species of fish

Fish

Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...

 in the Schilbeidae

Schilbeidae

The schilbid catfishes are a family of catfishes native to Africa and southern Asia. These fish tend to swim in open water....

 family. It is native to all major river systems in Africa. Its natural habitat

Habitat

* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...

 is freshwater lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

s and rivers.

The African butter catfish possesses a compressed body and very small adipose fin. It can grow up to 40 centimeters. As a predator it feeds on invertebrates and fish, as well as algae. It has been noted to feed on the fish species Elephant snout (Hyperopsusus bebe) and Nile tilapia

Oreochromis niloticus

The Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus is a relatively large cichlid fish, which is native to Africa from Egypt south to East and Central Africa, and as far west as Gambia. It is also native to Israel, and numerous introduced populations exist outside its natural range.It is also commercially...

(Oreochromis niloticus).

This fish is of commercial importance in many parts of Africa, providing a good-tasting, relatively low-cost source of protein.