It feeds on a fish, either swallowed whole or in pieces and a wide range of invertebrates including terrestrial insects.

It breeds throughout the year peaking in the rainy season when it migrates into rivers in fairly compact schools to spawn in floodwater pools.

[1] In one study the most common prey item was redeye barb, a cyprinid, which made up 29% of all identifiable fish species sampled from the catfishes stomachs.

Quite distinctive with a large shovel mouth surrounded by 4-6 nasal barbs and the eyes slightly protrude from head.

[3] Schilbe intermedius is fished for food but tends not to be the primary target for fishermen who usually catch it when hunting for other species.