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Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes / s ɪ ˈ lj ʊər ɪ f ɔːr m iː z / or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish.Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia, the wels catfish of Eurasia, and the piraíba of South America, to ...
White catfish feed mostly on the bottom, where they eat other fish and aquatic insects. They feed most actively at dusk and through the night [ 5 ] mostly on bottom-dwelling insects, worms, amphipods, and other small invertebrates.
The common name, hardhead catfish, is derived from the presence of a hard, bony plate extending rearward toward the dorsal fin from a line between the catfish's eyes. [4] It is an elongated marine catfish that reaches up to 28 in (70 cm) in length and 12 lb (5.5 kg) in weight. [ 5 ]
The black bullhead or black bullhead catfish (Ameiurus melas) is a species of bullhead catfish. Like other bullhead catfish, it has the ability to thrive in waters that are low in oxygen, brackish, turbid, and/or very warm. [2] It also has barbels located near its mouth, a broad head, spiny fins, and no scales.
The flathead catfish cannot live in full-strength seawater (which is about 35 parts per thousand or about 35 grams of salt per liter of water), but it can survive in 10 ppt for a while and thrive in up to about 5 ppt. [12] Flathead catfish are a benthic fish species meaning they are a fish which prefers to lay on the bottom of a body of water.
It is the most species-rich genus of catfish in North America, [1] native to the central and eastern United States, and adjacent parts of Canada. [2] Their fin spines contain a mild venom with a sting comparable to that of a honey bee. [1] Nearly half the species of madtom catfishes were described in a single comprehensive revision of the group.
Brachyplatystoma is a genus of catfish from the family Pimelodidae. [1] As the occasionally used common name goliath catfishes indicates, this genus includes some of the largest species of catfish, including the piraíba, B. filamentosum, which reaches up to 3.6 metres (12 ft) in length; though the other species (and indeed most individuals of B. filamentosum) don't reach this length. [2]
Catfish are found in a variety of habitats, from lakes or murky ponds to drainage ditches. They are scarce during the day, but come out at night to feed, searching the bottom of a lake or river for food. [13] They eat insects, leeches, snails, fish, clams, and many plants. They are also known to eat corn, which can be used as bait.