10 Facts about Catfish

Sunday, November 1st 2015. | Animals


If you want to know the ray finned fish group, you have to check Facts about Catfish.  This fish is included the order Siluriformes.  The name of the fish is taken from the name of  barbels which remind the people with the cat’s whiskers. The behavior and size of catfish is various depending on the species.  The famous ones include the wels catfish of Eurasia and Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia. Check other facts about catfish below:

Facts about Catfish 1: the food

The catfish which eat the tiny parasitic species is Vandellia cirrhosa. Some of them also consume the death material on the bottom of the body of water. They are called detritivores.

Facts about Catfish 2: the body surface

Some species of catfish have the armor plates on the body surface. Others do not have any armor plates or even scales. Get facts about blue catfish here.

Catfish Image

Catfish Image

Facts about Catfish 3: the barbel

The barbel is considered as the prominent feature of catfish but not all of them have the bold barbell. The swimbladder and skull are very prominent on the catfish included in Siluriformes order.

Facts about Catfish 4: the commercial catfish

Catfish is very important for the life of the people since it has the commercial value. The farmers nurture the large species of catfish to be sold as a food in the market.

Catfish Facts

Catfish Facts

Facts about Catfish 5: the smaller species of catfish

The smaller species of catfish are enticing too. Many people who have aquarium at home choose the smaller species for decorative purposes. Check Facts about Cartilaginous Fish here.

Facts about Catfish 6: the nocturnal animals

There are several species of catfish included as nocturnal animals. It means that they are very active when the dark comes. But others can be diurnal or crepuscular.

Facts about Catfish

Facts about Catfish

Facts about Catfish 7: the bottom feeders

The buoyancy of catfish is negative. It means that you can find them mostly living at the bottom. There is no need to wonder that catfish is included as a bottom feeder. The heavy bony head and reduced gas bladder of the fish make them sink rather than floating.

Facts about Catfish 8: the shape of the body

If you think that catfish always has the cylindrical body, you are wrong. Some of them have the flattened ventrum.

Catfish

Catfish

Facts about Catfish 9: the head

Some catfish has flattened head. It is used for hydrofoil and digging. When they want to eat, the prey is not cut or bitten. They will gulp or suck it.

Facts about Catfish 10: the pairs of barbels

There are four pairs of barbels that catfish has. Those are two pairs of chin barbels, maxillary and nasal.

Catfish Pic

Catfish Pic

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