Chucklehead, Shovelhead, Poliwog! Is someone insulting? Not really, they probably mean the largest catfish they’ve ever caught, which barely escaped. Catfish have many names and are found all over the world. They can be found in fresh and salt water and are very adaptable. The most common name for catfish comes from the long feline whiskers that protrude from the sides of the face. These are not whiskers, but tendrils that are used to find food. Let’s take a look at the 10 craziest facts about catfish!
1. Too hot, too cold, or just right? Catfish feels great in both cold and hot water.
One of the reasons catfish can be found all over the world is because they can adapt to a wide variety of habitats. Catfish can be found in areas where the temperature is 95 degrees, and they can also survive in temperatures slightly above freezing. Usually, when the water temperature drops below 65 degrees, catfish slow down, conserve energy and may stop feeding, but they are known to be active all year round even in low temperatures.
2. A walking fish? Asian catfish can “walk” from pool to pool.
“I’m not here!” If the Asian catfish is fed up with his lake, feed him and leave! Walking catfish have pectoral fins, which they use to navigate overland with a weird snake-like cunning. They also don’t need to hold their breath to do this; they have a unique set of gills that can breathe air too. The walking catfish is found not only in Asia, but also in Florida.
3. No need to add bass, the catfish has a built-in amplifier.
The catfish has amazing hearing. They have what is called a Weber apparatus, which serves as an amplifier for underwater sounds. There are four bones that connect the inner ear to the swim bladder. When sound waves bounce off the bladder, a signal is sent to the ear and the sound is amplified.
4. 3,000 channel catfish were released at Florida Air Force Base.
In an effort to balance the ecosystem and provide opportunities for fishing, the US Fisheries and Wildlife Service partnered with McDill Air Force Base to raise and release 3,000 channel catfish into Lake Levin at the base. The fish will help prevent overgrowth of aquatic vegetation. The Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida provides opportunities for fishing in several freshwater ponds, as well as for saltwater fishing in the Persian Gulf.
5. V the largest catfish ever caught weighed 646 pounds! It was a giant Mekong catfish.
The Mekong giant catfish is the largest species of catfish. It can be found in the Mekong River in Thailand. The largest animal ever caught weighed 646 pounds! It is about the size of an average dolphin. That’s a lot of fish sticks! In fact, there is a problem of overfishing of the Mekong River, which is now on the verge of extinction. Officials are working to regulate the fishing of these giants and bring back the captive-raised Mekongs.
6. Can you imagine a tiny catfish? The Asian Rock Mini Catfish is only an inch long!
The Asian Rock Mini Catfish is a popular fish for freshwater aquariums. These fish have all the details that the larger catfish do, including the tiny “whiskers”. Their color is yellowish-golden with a cast brown pattern. These are peaceful fish that are more active at night, but even then they often stay in the same place. The Asian stone or sometimes called the catfish Moth comes from the rivers of India and Bangladesh.
7. What if your body was covered in taste buds? Catfish has 100,000 taste buds!
If I was covered in taste buds, I would float across a river of melted chocolate fudge! Catfish have over 100,000 taste buds, and some species have around 175,000. Taste buds are located throughout the body to help them sense where food is. Most taste buds are located on the mustache or mustache and can sense food for miles around. Many catfish are bottom-dwelling and often swim in muddy waters, so their sense of taste serves as a tool for finding food when they can’t see well.
eight. Catfish mutant? In Tennessee, caught a rare piebald blue catfish.
Peebold is a mutation that causes animal pigment to be a mixture of pigmented and non-pigmented coloration. Tennessee fishermen were quite surprised when they first saw white on the fish, and then saw a mixture of it with a dark back and tail fin. Pibaldism is similar to albinism, in which animals are devoid of any coloration and often appear white with pink eyes. Another fisherman from Missouri recently caught an albino blue catfish. Because an all-white fish would stand out in the wild and attract prey, it is rare to see fish that survive to adulthood.
nine. Where are the babies? Fertilized eggs are laid in the mouth by a male sea catfish!
While there is a wide variety of catfish species, there is also a wide variety of ways to breed catfish. Most often, channel catfish lays eggs in a large mass in crevices of rocks or vegetation. After laying the eggs, the male catfish takes over the protection of the eggs. After hatching, the male remains and looks after him for several weeks. Another catfish, sea catfish, is the shepherd. It can hold up to 50 eggs in its mouth. I think this is one way to save eggs! Even after hatching, the fish remain in the father’s mouth for two weeks or more!
ten. Catfish vs Dog Fish
Is there such a thing as Dogfish? Yes, but it’s not a fish, it’s actually a shark. A bleach is a ground shark 3-4 feet long. Let’s see how catfish and sea dog compare:
Catfish
- A fish
- Lives in fresh water (a couple of species live in salt water)
- Without weights
- Lone hunter
Dogfish
- Shark
- Lives in salt water
- Covered in scales called denticles
- Hunting in schools
Given the fact that one of them is a fish and the other is a shark, it makes sense that there are many differences between these species. We will have to bring the discussion of cats and dogs to our furry land animals.
Here it is, our complete list of facts about catfish. If you are looking for additional literature on catfish, check out What Do Catfish Eat? 13 foods in their diet! ‘