Catfish: description of fish, lifestyle, nutrition, spawning, fishing, types, cultivation

Description of catfish

Catfish is the largest inhabitant of fresh water bodies. True, the beluga is not inferior to him in weight. But it belongs to the migratory fish - it enters the rivers only to spawn. Of the permanent river inhabitants, catfish have no equal in weight and size. The meat of this miracle fish is unusual - it is extremely fatty and tender. Various dishes are prepared from it, canned, salted and dried.

The name of catfish in Latin is silurus glanis. Classification of the common catfish:

Class – Pisces.
Order – Catfish (Siluriformes).
Family – Catfish (Siluroidea).
Genus – Catfish (Siluridae).
Species – Common catfish (Silurus glanis).

Common or European catfish are found in Russian reservoirs. Belongs to the catfish family.

Catfish fish: description

This representative of the catfish family has a rather long and, at the same time, flattened body, without scales. The rather strong body of this fish is covered with a thick layer of mucus, which provides the predator with excellent movement in the water column. The head is wide and flattened, and has relatively small eyes. The mouth is also wide with a set of small, but numerous teeth. Catfish can be easily distinguished from other fish species by the presence of long whiskers on both the lower and upper jaws. The catfish's whiskers play an important role in searching for food, as they are organs of touch. Scientists know about more than 500 species of this fish, which differ from each other in both color and size.

How long does a catfish live?

A catfish that lives in comfortable conditions can live about 60 years, although there is information indicating that individuals have been caught that have reached 75 years of age.

Catfish diet

This predator prefers to lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, hiding in holes at considerable depths. At the same time, it is unpretentious in food and is able to feed on objects of both animal and plant origin. But given the fact that the catfish is still a predator, its diet mainly consists of animal food, and the size of the prey depends on the size of the predator itself. Its diet also includes dead animal objects, which is why it can often be seen near fishing nets. A hungry big catfish can easily pull a dog or a small calf under the water if they find themselves in the water.

Habitats

Catfish lives in almost all water bodies of Europe and Asia, including rivers flowing into the seas, so it can often be seen in the waters of the seas, not far from river mouths. However, in such conditions the catfish will not live long. But the channel catfish is able to live in such conditions.

Catfish kill people - they lied to us for 1000 years (real story)

Best biting period

July August. It is best caught soon after spawning, which usually occurs at a temperature of 18-22 degrees. The best fishing time during the day should be considered from dusk to dawn. But even during the day, the possibility of his grip cannot be ruled out if the bait passes close to his mouth.

Habitat

Catfish live in rivers and lakes throughout the European part of Russia. There are none except in the Arctic Ocean basin. This freshwater giant is thermophilic, therefore it is found more often in reservoirs belonging to the basins of warm seas - the Aral, Black, Caspian and Azov. It is rare in Baltic waters, and if it is found, it is small in size.

Amur catfish live in Siberian rivers, which differ from the European species in appearance - color and size. The Amur catfish is not as large as the European catfish.

Most catfish are found in rivers of southern latitudes - in the Volga, Kuban, on the Don, in the Dnieper, on the Ural River. This fish easily tolerates slightly brackish water, so it can be found in river mouths and in slightly salted sea areas.

Mysterious death of people

The alleged catfish attack occurred in April 1998, when at approximately 13:00 local time, 17-year-old Dil Bahadur disappeared underwater while swimming in the river in front of his girlfriend and several witnesses. During the search, which lasted 3 days and covered 5 km, no remains were found. 3 months later, at Dharma Ghat, a little boy disappeared underwater in front of his father, who could not save him. The body was never found. The final attack occurred in 2007, when an 18-year-old boy from Nepal was pulled underwater by a strange creature that, according to eyewitnesses, looked something like a pig.

Where live?

Catfish wisely stay in the depths. Their large size and caution make them stick to the bottom. They are uncomfortable in shallow water. They are afraid of the light. Catfish is a predator that hunts at night. For rest, he chooses the darkest and deepest places in reservoirs.

Catfish live in pits where sunken logs, trees, and snags accumulate. If the river is shallow, the giants hide in beaver holes. They look for any recesses where they can hide. While it is light outside, the catfish lies down in its shelter - resting and digesting what it has eaten. As soon as it gets dark, the barbel goes hunting - someone will fall into its huge mouth.

Types of catfish

There are about 30 families in the catfish order. But only ordinary and ictalur catfish have a characteristic “catfish” appearance. In addition to the common (European) catfish, several more interesting representatives of the catfish family (Siluridae) can be found in the reservoirs of Russia and the world.

Som Soldatova

Soldatov's catfish (Silurus soldatovi) is a large fish without scales. Features of the species and facts from its life:

Length – up to 3 m, weight – 80 kg or more.
It is similar in size and color to the European catfish. The back and sides are gray-brown, with streaks. The belly is light.
It feeds on fish, but can also swallow waterfowl.
Usually hunts at night.
In autumn it goes to depth, where it mainly rests.
Doesn't eat in winter.
Ripens in the 4th year of life. Lives 30 years or more.

Soldatov's catfish is a rare fish listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. The number of this catfish is constantly declining. Its fishing is prohibited by law.

Habitat: Amur River basin, Ussuri River and Lake Khanka. Spawns in June-July, entering coastal thickets. The fish lays eggs on plants, among which the fish builds a kind of nest.

Amur catfish

The Amur catfish (Parasilurus asotus) is not afraid of brackish water. It is also called Far Eastern.

External signs:

It reaches 1 m in length and weighs 6-8 kg.
The head is large, wide, flattened.
The body becomes thinner towards the tail. There is a small fin on the tail.
Body color is dark green. The belly is light.
The anal fin is large, almost reaching the caudal fin.
The lower jaw protrudes forward. There are two pairs of whiskers on the muzzle.

Features of behavior and habitat:

Loves warm waters.
Prefers standing or slowly flowing water.
In the summer, it goes into channels, floods and the coastal zone.
In autumn it goes deeper.
Doesn't build a nest.
Hunts from ambush in the evenings and at night. The basis of nutrition is small fish, shellfish, frogs, and crayfish.

Puberty occurs in the fourth year of life. Spawning time is the end of May – the first half of July. Males do not guard eggs laid on aquatic plants.

Fishermen annually catch about 10 tons of Amur catfish. The fish is an object of sport and recreational fishing.

Habitat: waters of Japan, China and Korea. In 1933, 22 breeder fish were released into the waters of Primorye. The catfish got into Baikal and spread throughout Primorye. Refers to valuable commercial fish. The meat is tasty, medium fat, with few bones.

Channel catfish

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) is a fish of the Ictalurus family. Representative of catfishes of North America. Industrial production facility.

External signs:

Body length – up to 132 cm. Usually – no more than 57 cm.
Maximum weight – 4.5-9 kg. In the entire history of the fishery, the largest channel catfish was a specimen weighing 26 kg.
The body is painted in a dark color - bluish-olive, gray, black. The belly is light. There are spots on the sides.

Omnivore - eats fish, shellfish, insects, small mammals. Found in the USA, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. Since 1972, channel catfish have been bred in Russia - in the Kuban. From the ponds it penetrated into the rivers of the Don and Kuban systems. They are bred in the Moscow region, in the Urals.

African catfish

A heat-loving fish that lives in the Jordan River and reservoirs of South and Southeast Asia. It looks like an ordinary catfish. It has an elongated body, slightly flattened laterally. The second name is sharmut. Capable of breathing atmospheric air. In addition to gills, the African catfish has an organ riddled with blood vessels - this is a prototype of the lung, which allows the fish to survive in the air for 15-45 hours.

Description

Catfish are one of the most ancient species of fish that inhabited the waters of our planet 70 million years ago. This is a huge genus, which includes more than 2000 different species. Most are freshwater, although some species are also found in the ocean. Many aquarium catfish are bred through selective breeding, but most of the popular species are natural.

The main feature of all catfish is the absence of scales. But their body does not remain “naked”, but is covered with a special shell of bony plates. These fish also have whiskers elongated into long threads. This is not just an external feature, but an important part of the body. Since catfish lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, they use their whiskers to feel and taste surrounding objects and soil.

Because catfish often dig and pick up food from the bottom, in the aquarium industry they are called the “orderlies” of the aquarium. However, not all species have such fame, but only certain ones, for example, the speckled catfish.

As for appearance, of course, all types of aquarium catfish differ from each other both in size and in individual features. In most cases, they have a protective “camouflage” coloring to match their habitat. Some reach quite large sizes and are dangerous predators for other aquarium inhabitants. However, what cannot be taken away from catfish is their funny faces. It is a pity that many of them are nocturnal and appear in sight only occasionally.

Lifestyle of the common catfish

Catfish are homebodies. They rarely go on long journeys. Giants have not left their homes for decades. They sit in their holes, coming out only to hunt. Due to its terrifying appearance and size, the catfish is not capable of long-term pursuit, so it catches fish by attacking suddenly - from an ambush.

Spring Summer

With the onset of spring, when the flood begins, the catfish leaves the hatching hole. It rises upstream, enters floodplains and floodplain lakes, where it lays eggs.

About a month passes from the moment of awakening from hibernation until spawning. All this time, the catfish eats a lot - it makes up for the hungry winter times by eating fish and other living creatures that come across. All summer the catfish actively hunts - preparing for winter.

Hunting strategy:

Quickly break into a school swimming past, or pounce on a single fish that has approached at a distance sufficient for a throw.
The powerful flexible tail is used to stun several fish at once - if a school is attacked.
Large catfish are slow and rarely manage to catch fish. The giants have to be content with amphibians and mollusks.
Large catfish prey on young animals. They lie with their mouth half-open, and when the flock approaches, they suck in water along with the prey.

Other behavioral features of catfish:

It cannot be said that the catfish is completely nocturnal. He often “wanders” at dawn. And sometimes during the day it appears on the surface of the water, showing its dark slippery sides.
Catfish can be seen - and not only during spawning - basking in the sun. They float to the surface and lie belly up. There is a sign that the appearance of catfish during the day is a harbinger of inclement weather.
If there are prolonged rains and floods, and the water becomes cloudy, the catfish is forced to leave its hole - it looks for a quiet backwater and goes to places where there is no turbidity.
Catfish hunt every night. Specimens weighing 16 and 32 kg emerge from their shelters at sunset. First, the catfish walks in circles around its nesting area, then swims upstream - looking for prey. It happens that a hungry fish, in search of food, swims very far from its hole. But regardless of the distance, the catfish always returns home in the morning.

Autumn winter

Catfish love warmth - almost all species of the catfish family come from tropical zones. Therefore, they stop their active lifestyle early. Already in September, the catfish goes to its wintering place. From October-November - depending on climatic conditions and water temperature, the catfish, having fattened up over the summer, stops hunting.

He settles down for the winter in pits. Moreover, it does this before other fish. The giant buries its flat head into the mud. A fallen predator becomes completely harmless to the fish and other living creatures that make up the barbel’s daily diet.

Lifestyle

Catfish is a fish whose length, according to historical data, can reach 8 m by the end of its life. There are no scales on its body. On the head there are small eyes and sensitive whiskers: 2 long on top and 4 short under the jaw. The mouth contains many small teeth. It is impossible to count how many there are. They look more like a brush, which has led to the idea that catfish are toothless fish.

This predator prefers to settle in deep areas of reservoirs and river holes. It loves warmth and clear water, hibernating from October to May. Catfish hunting methods and diet vary depending on its size and age:

Due to the fact that catfish eggs are very sticky and are protected by “parents”, they are practically not eaten by other predators. Therefore, a week after its laying, many fry appear and begin to actively search for food: insect larvae, caviar. When they grow to 1.5-2 cm in length, the hunt begins for small fish, including less fortunate catfish.
Gradually, the catfish switches to larger prey. For young (up to 1 m long) individuals, the main diet consists of mussels and crayfish, as well as small fish, especially during their spawning. Favorite delicacy: frogs.
Large individuals can no longer eat nimble fish. They lack the maneuverability to catch it. They switch to another hunting mode, camouflaging themselves at the bottom. With its upper whiskers, the catfish simulates the movements of a worm, luring prey, and then sharply grabs it with its teeth.

Sexual maturity and spawning period

As soon as spring begins, the catfish sets off on a journey in search of a secluded place to spawn. The spawning begins during spring floods. With the early onset of spring, spawning begins in May. The temperature favorable for spawning is 14-16°C.

Sexual maturity in catfish occurs in the third year of life. Fish can reproduce when they reach a weight of about 3 kg and a length of 60 cm. Fish of the same age category gather in groups. Females look for a male to mate with that matches their age and size.

Small males run the risk of being swallowed by females even during mating games - the number of applicants is reduced.

During spawning, catching catfish is prohibited by law. The fine is tens of minimum wages and confiscation of fishing equipment. The ban is set for 20 days. The ban is categorical - you can’t fish even from the shore, even with one tackle.

Catfish carefully select a place where they can spawn. The female deposits it on aquatic plants growing in the coastal zone. Ideal conditions for spawning are a weak current, or even better, its complete absence.

To lay eggs in shallow water bodies, catfish go:

into the reeds;
to flooded meadows;
in a thicket of grass and algae.

In deep reservoirs, catfish look for pools or flooded ravines.

When the female chooses a male to her liking, the couple goes to a secluded place to spawn. The catfish, using powerful fins, prepares a hole for the nest, using tree roots and straw for this purpose. Spawning occurs at night, before the morning hours. The eggs are large and there are few of them. The number of eggs depends on the size of the female.

After fertilization, the eggs are covered with mucus, which holds them together and allows them to stick to the surface of plants or snags. The parents watch the nest for about a week, driving away dangerous and curious inhabitants of the reservoir. When the fry are born, the parents swim away to their favorite holes. After spawning, the couple rests at great depths, not even rising to get food. And only after 1-2 weeks they go to pick up the survivors.

Varieties

The varieties of aquarium catfish simply amaze the imagination. However, do not be fooled by the fancy appearance of the fish; carefully study the description of the species you like. For example, some representatives may even be poisonous. The thorn prick, although not fatal to humans, can be quite painful. Find out what the most popular species of aquarium catfish are, as well as their photos with names right now.

Clarias

Do you have a large species aquarium? Then the spectacular catfish of the Clarias Angolan subspecies will become its excellent inhabitant. This voracious predator can reach the size of a teenager's hand. But it is very impressive thanks to its beautiful marbled color and large dorsal fin that stretches along the entire body. Not fussy about care and water quality.

Glass

The ghost catfish, or simply the so-called glass species, is perhaps the most peaceful and calm inhabitant of the aquarium. In addition, he is very unusual - he has an absolutely transparent body, through which one can see the internal organs and even the skeleton. However, it is very difficult to keep such a miracle of nature. Glass catfish are picky about water quality, get along only with peaceful neighbors, live exclusively in schools and are vulnerable to disease. The aquarium needs good vegetation.

We offer you to see in more detail what such an unusual fish looks like in the next video (Yuri Sakharov).

Flathead

The flathead catfish is described in appearance as an African killer whale. They have three pairs of whiskers and a well-developed adipose fin. Some of their species are distinguished by their bright colors, which is why they are loved by many aquarists. As for keeping them, these catfish are nocturnal predators, so they get along well in the company of large fish.

Brocade

This beautiful visitor from the Orinoco River got its name because of the black or brown spots that resemble brocade. They also have a large dorsal fin that resembles a sail, and their mouth is a single large sucker. Recently, this type has been very popular, but it causes a lot of trouble for beginners. He loves to scrape snags and eat vegetation, moves reluctantly and is very phlegmatic, clings to other sedentary fish. Not suitable for a small aquarium as it grows up to 35 cm in length.

Synodontis

This African subspecies gained particular popularity among our aquarists about 10-15 years ago. Many of its representatives are quite large, but peaceful and calm. Their large head with three pairs of long mustaches, as well as their torpedo-shaped body, attracts attention. They come in different colors, even black with polka dots - angelic synodont. But among beginners, small changelings are in particular demand - catfish that can swim belly up. They collect insects on the surface of the water and also perfectly clean the bottom.

Corridoras

Corydoras make up a fairly large group of catfish species. However, some of them, for example, those living in the waters of the Amazon, have not yet been sufficiently studied. Corydoras are very popular in freshwater aquariums, as they are peaceful and have an active behavior. It is especially interesting to watch them if they live in a flock. It can live calmly in muddy water, but they love a soft and slightly acidic environment.

Tarakatum

The Brazilian cockroach has a long body, and the male's chest is decorated with a powerful orange bone spike. These catfish love to build nests under the leaves of plants. Quite a pretty species, but due to the thorn it is rarely kept among beginners.

Ancistrus

Another Brazilian subspecies of dark catfish with light spots. They grow to medium sizes - approximately 14-15 cm and spend most of their time clinging to plants or the glass of the aquarium. It is phlegmatic towards other inhabitants, so it can easily get along in a common family and is suitable for an aquarium.

Loading …

What does catfish eat?

The catfish's diet depends on its age. Catfish fry eat:

planktonic crustaceans;
leeches;
mosquito larvae;
tadpoles;
small water beetles.

Grown-up catfish quickly display predatory habits. Having reached 4 cm in length, young predators begin hunting for fry of other fish. Catfish, growing up, begin to feed mainly on fish. Supplements to his diet include:

frogs;
crayfish;
shellfish

The catfish becomes a full-fledged predator by the age of three. Having reached sexual maturity, it continues to grow. The diet of an adult catfish contains a variety of protein foods:

fish;
crustaceans;
shellfish;
birds;
rodents;
frogs;
small mammals;
large insects.

If the prey is large, the catfish cannot eat it right away. Then he waits for the dead creature to begin to rot and decompose. For this reason, catfish are often called scavengers.

The catfish will not perish from hunger - if there are few fish and other large bait in the reservoir, it devours any organic matter. If there is no ordinary food, the giant can eat ordinary bread.

Man-eating catfish

There are many different legends associated with this fish; it is often called the killer fish. The predator goes hunting in the evenings, emerging from its daytime hiding place located at the bottom of the reservoir. A large fish is capable of tearing fishing nets and eating prey, hitting the water with its powerful tail and turning over a boat with fishermen. Eyewitness accounts indicate that catfish attack birds, animals and humans, but most of all they love carrion. Can a catfish eat a person in water? It is considered an omnivorous fish, but it is not known to hunt people, although it feeds on corpses.

It is noted that when hunting animals, the catfish grabs them with its mouth and drags them to the bottom, hides them under snags and waits until the tissues decompose and the prey becomes soft. At night, fish come to the shore in search of food. The predator does not like muddy water and leaves its shelter during the rainy season. He finds food using his sense of smell. Therefore, fishermen use food waste and animal offal as feed. Fishing is done using bottom gear.

Fishing for catfish

The best time for fishing for catfish is summer. Catching this fish is every angler's dream. Many ways of hunting giants have been invented. Catfish is the most coveted trophy in fishing.

What you need to know when preparing for fishing:

The rod and reel should be ten times more powerful than pike fishing gear.
The braided cord must have a diameter of at least 0.3-0.5 mm.
It is almost impossible to pull the giant ashore, so a boat is needed.
The catfish, having “taken a ride” with the fisherman in the boat, weakens over time. Inexperienced fishermen need to remember that a fight with a catfish is life-threatening.

When fishing, the rod must be tied to a stake driven into the ground or to strong branches. Even fish weighing 4 kg bite very sharply, the rod instantly takes off from its place.

Silicone baits

Catfish, like any predator, bites on any attractive bait, but the best results are shown when equipped with jig baits (silicone baits).

Catfish bite on any silicone bait:

twisters;
vibrotails;
rippers.

The sinker is selected in proportion to the depth of the hole. If the depth is large, take a sinker weighing 30-40 g. The optimal size of the bait is 15-20 cm. If the catfish swallows the bait, a strong hook is needed. The fisherman needs to be prepared for strong resistance.

Spoon

Catfish respond especially well to large, oscillating spoon baits. The spinners have a wide surface, which does not allow slow retrieving in currents. It is recommended to use spinners when fishing in holes - where there is quiet and stagnant water.

Examples of suitable spinners:

Storling 25 g. Classic version. For catfish, take a palm-sized spoon. An oscillating spoon with a noticeable concavity near the tee.
Atom 20 g. Similar to the Storling, but has a tapered end near the winding ring.
Kuusamo Rasanen 20 g. The spoon is decorated with a red ball. Moves smoothly in water.

Kwok

Kwok is a device that, when its cup-shaped part hits the water, makes a sound that is tempting for catfish. Hearing the beating of the quok on the surface of the water, the hungry catfish rises from the depths. Kwok material is wood or composite material.

Donka

Bottom tackle is the most common fishing rod for catching catfish. Fish are always more willing to eat natural bait. Another plus is that the angler can install an unlimited number of rods. Typically, the tackle is made up of a large hook and a sinker weighing 100 g. The bait is put on the hook.

Best bait for catfish

The catfish readily attacks any living creature. For a giant to be interested in bait, it must be of animal origin and be quite large. The bait must stay well on the hook, otherwise it may fly off when it hits the water. You can secure the bait on the hook with regular thread. Suitable baits:

Crawls. These are large worms - they remain alive for a long time and move on the hook, attracting the attention of the fish. Thread 2-3 worms onto the hook at once. Crawls are uninteresting to small specimens; large predators will react to it. Crawlers are found after rains, in the dark. They appear in parks, on personal plots, crawling out of the ground onto its surface.
Medvedka. Large insect, garden pest. To lure the mole cricket, they bury a bottle of beer in the garden - there should be a little bit of it. The neck is covered with gauze. This is one of the best baits.
Frog. Favorite catfish delicacy. Frogs remain alive for a long time and move, which attracts predators.
Live bait. Fish are the basis of the catfish diet. You need a fish that is familiar to the catfish, so they take it from the same reservoir in which they are going to fish. Gobies, bleaks and roaches are suitable.
Leeches. They, like crawlies, are strung in a bunch. Place 3-4 pieces. The suction cups of leeches are cut off so that they do not stick to the hook or bottom.
Perlovitsa. You can find this bivalve mollusk in any body of water.
Chicken liver. It is dried in the sun before stringing.
Locust. Several insects are left on the hook.

It is impossible to guess which bait the catfish will like more - live or dead. Som is a gourmet. We need to find an approach to it. To achieve a goal, you have to try many options.

Proper complementary feeding

Most fishermen, devoting a lot of time to preparing bait, do not engage in bait at all. But in vain. Catfish readily respond to tasty food. Experienced fishermen claim that good bait allows you to significantly increase the number of bites.

The mustachioed giant, unlike other predatory fish, eats, in addition to fish, all kinds of protein living creatures. To attract catfish you can use:

Offal. Ground skin - pork or beef - will do. Catfish will also not refuse to taste intestines, lard, meat, chicken stomachs, and other offal. To ensure that meat or offal for bait attracts catfish, it is recommended to dry or fry them.
Bird feathers. This is a cheap bait that needs to be fried a little over the fire.
Fish fat . It is sold in pharmacies and stores. Add fat to any bait. But you absolutely cannot add vegetable fats - other fish will swim in, and the predator will start hunting for the fish. This will distract the catfish from both bait and bait.

Catfish, having seen that delicious food appears in a certain place, will return to it again and again. But there is no point in leaving bait where catfish do not appear.

Lures do not work:

on fast rolls;
aground;
in coastal areas.

You need to leave a treat:

at the entrances and exits of pits;
near flooded snags;
on a deep-sea reach.

Catfish attacks on people: reality or fairy tales?

Photo: Alexander Tokarev.
Just like Conan Doyle and his “Hound of the Baskervilles”.

For us fishermen, who have seen all sorts of large fish, it seems that nothing will surprise us, and catfish attacks on people mostly seem like fairy tales.

But nevertheless, knowing the character of this powerful predator and very real episodes of its hunting for dogs, birds and other living creatures, we can assume that there is nothing stopping a catfish weighing a hundredweight or more, which are still found in our waters, from attacking a careless swimmer, floundering over a catfish hole.

As they say, if you don't eat it, you have to bite it...

Grab an arm or leg and drag it to the bottom.

For a huge monster, incredibly strong in his element, this costs nothing.

And first of all, a catfish can be provoked to attack not only by the hunter’s instinct, but also by the instinct of the owner of the hunting grounds, where an uninvited alien competitor has invaded.

Catfish and people

Among the facts regarding attacks by huge catfish on people, according to the World news daily report, is a recorded case in which two Polish fishermen dragged a powerful catfish ashore, and when cutting it up, they discovered human remains.

This was a Nazi officer from World War II. Such conclusions could be drawn from the discovery of an SS officer's emblem, as well as from fragments of dozens of human bones. Marek Zdanowicz and Alfons Brzozowski, who caught the giant predator, 4 meters long and weighing 200 kilograms, reported the unexpected discovery to the police.

An investigation was launched, the results of which did not clarify the picture of events. It remains unknown whether the predator attacked the floating officer or profited from the remains at the bottom.

According to experts, in particular Patek Loiko, it was impossible to determine the cause of the death of the SS man due to the strong influence of the gastric juice of the fish. But the age of the predator was determined to be 90-110 years.

Such catfish, without hesitation, attack domestic animals and even wild deer, which was recorded by the rangers of the Khopersky Nature Reserve, in front of whom a huge catfish attacked a young deer swimming across the river, and then dragged it to the bottom.

Read the material “Bear Roulette”

In recent years, information has repeatedly appeared in the Ukrainian press that local residents of Zaporozhye, in the area of Khortytsia Island, were often attacked by man-eating catfish that overturned motor boats. But no deaths were recorded.

Photo: Nikolay Alekseev.

In addition, not far from this island, on a deep edge of fifteen meters, a small ship was discovered, which had disappeared without a trace and was now lying on the bottom with a large hole in which there was a stuck catfish five meters long. In the fishery they later found the remains of three tourists from Poland who disappeared along with the ship.

According to biologists, in the climatic conditions of Russia, catfish can reach a length of five meters and weigh three hundred kilograms and live to be a century old or even more. And under particularly favorable conditions, these fish can be even larger, which, of course, only confirms rumors about catfish attacks on people.

Read the material “Large fish and catching them with a fly rod”

Unlike a shark, a catfish usually swallows its prey whole, like a python, and then digests it for just as long. Therefore, in order to attack a person, a catfish must be of the impressive size of a cannibal. And the 4-5 meter giant is just right for this role.

Usually, rumors about attacks by large catfish on people, or rather unconfirmed information, come from local residents who are directly in the center of events, since they live on the banks of large rivers and reservoirs where large catfish live. Shouldn't they be in the thick of things?..

Most often, these are the southern regions of our country, where warm water and an abundance of food create comfortable conditions for catfish. Not so long ago, in the Kuban and Don, before women went to the river to rinse their clothes from the bridge, the men first went themselves and checked by external signs the presence of large catfish in a given place. As these villagers claimed, catfish often snatched women’s underwear from their hands while rinsing in river water, and even attacked the women themselves.

Photo: Alexander Tokarev.

One can add to this tone the story of a former special forces soldier who traveled around our country while on business trips. According to him, he once happened to be in one of the military units, next to which there was a lake, in the area of the village of Kursk. And in this military unit there was an emergency - an accident. Under unclear circumstances, a serviceman, senior sergeant, drowned in the lake.

He was a teetotal man, healthy, young. What happened is unclear. The called divers jumped out of the water after the first dive, as if scalded, declaring that they would never set foot back in the water. They say that in the supposed place of the tragedy, where the drowned person is probably located, there are huge catfish lying at the bottom. I want to live...

In books and in life

Now it’s difficult to remember the names of those books from childhood where there were episodes with cannibalistic catfish. But I remember that these stories had a strong impact on me, then still a boy, who began to read early and at the age of six became a respected visitor to the youth library, who was allowed to choose books on any library shelves with his own hands.

Read the material “The Trophy Book of Belarus Has Been Published”

I don’t want to look for information on the Internet, but it seems that Vladimir Klavdievich Arsenyev in his book “Life and Adventures in the Taiga” described an episode of how a huge catfish attacked a bear hunting in the river. He caught fish, catching it with his clawed paw. And he almost became the prey of an underwater monster, very strong in the water. But the power of the Siberian bear saved her.

Or was this episode in the story “Dersu Uzala”? I can't remember now. But, knowing that catfish reached a weight of 400 kilograms, like a fish caught in the Oder in the 19th century, one can assume that a river predator would attack the owner of the taiga, at least in that distant time when the snow was whiter and hares as big as horses...

Another episode that struck my childhood imagination was an excerpt from some story or story, where women washing clothes on rafts were attacked by catfish. As in the stories of eyewitnesses from the Kuban and Don mentioned above. Only in the literary source it was even worse. Moreover, it is written powerfully and talentedly.

In that work, forgotten after years, catfish attacked children who were next to their mothers and splashing in the water, sitting on a raft. Huge predators seemed to lick the children from the rafts and swallow them with some kind of sound similar to smacking or slurping. It is difficult to say whether this literary and terrible description was a reflection of real events or a figment of the author’s imagination, but it made an indelible impression.

Read the material “Fishing Tales and Real Events”

My personal experience of catching catfish is very poor. I didn’t have the chance to become a somyatnik, probably because I spent my entire childhood with my father not on the Volga, but on remote and beautiful forest lakes, where the prey was also fish that were not small, but capable of tearing out of the bottom and dragging a pine pole of a four-year-old flyer. five meters, wet, heavy.

Pound-sized pikes on these forest lakes were not particularly rare, as were three-kilogram perches, at least in past years, and not in our time, when the reservoirs are populated by electric fishing rods.

On the Volga and Vetluga, my prey was mainly catfish weighing up to six kilograms, accidentally caught on a “ring” donka already in the twilight light of the evening. But I remember how strong and stubborn even these small catfish were. They fought to the last, dragging the tackle to the bottom.

But once I witnessed a catfish bite on the forest river Bolshaya Kokshaga, or rather two bites, only the first time the catfish did not seem to notice that it was being held by a leash made of fishing line 0.5 mm thick. Rybina simply went about her business, and the leash with a diameter of half a millimeter only squeaked and became a pathetic scrap.

The second time it was a little more dramatic. My father equipped his hooks with double leashes made from the thickest fishing line we had in stock at the time – 0.6 mm in diameter. The main fishing line of the hooks was also not weak - all 0.8 mm. I was always surprised by the roughness of my father's gear. But now I understand perfectly well that he was born and lived in fabulous and magical times, when you didn’t meet a living soul in the forests for weeks and months.

Read the material “Looking for an asp on the Klyazma”

The shores of forest lakes and rivers were not filled with empty plastic bottles, toilet paper and plastic bags, but with flowers and edible mushrooms, often growing right on the path of the forest lake near the water. In the rivers and lakes there were fish that were as clean as the water and reached enormous sizes.

Photo: Nikolay Alekseev.

So, about the second bite... At first, after a powerful jerk, the rather thick willow rod of the bait folded in half and began to crawl out of the sand. The father ran up and grabbed the fishing line, but it pulled him into the water, and his hands were almost cut by the fishing line.

The father threw the fishing line and, finding a log in the sand, wound the main vein of the hook around it. Now he was in an advantageous position. Like a barge hauler on the Volga, like Ilya Repin’s painting, the father stood with his back to the river and pulled the fish, bending down almost to his knees.

But there was another jerk, and the father found himself in the water, as if he had been blown away by the wind... But he was a rather large man of mature age. I rushed to help him, but my father, waving his hand in anger, was already coming out of the water with a piece of fishing line in his hands. The catfish broke the main fishing line 0.8 mm thick.

This is what catfish are like: legendary fish with sleepy eyes, powerful, furious, secretive, terrible, beautiful.

Alexander Tokarev June 30, 2021 at 1:53 pm

Breeding and growing catfish

Catfish are a promising fish species for artificial breeding. Compared to other predators - pike or pike perch, it has important advantages:

No need for large bodies of water. For feeding, pits or canals filled with water are sufficient. The main thing is to ensure a suitable hydrochemical regime.
The catfish hibernates during the winter, which makes it easier to keep. There is no need to keep and feed it in wintering ponds.
Spawning can be carried out in wintering ponds vacated by carp.
Catfish taken for breeding can be released into water bodies to destroy low-value fish.
Ponds located near fish processing plants or slaughterhouses can be used for breeding to use waste from these industries.
Due to their wide range of nutrition, catfish eat not only fish, but also all pond animals.

Catfish are bred in ponds and reservoirs where other fish are bred. Thanks to the predator, fish productivity in artificial reservoirs can be increased to 110 kg/ha. The predator cleans the pond of weed fish, frogs, and tadpoles.

How does a catfish farm work?

An industrial catfish breeding farm has a standard capacity of 50 tons of fish per year. There are also farms with 20 and 100 tons per year. One person can maintain such a farm, working 25 hours a week. Most often, African catfish are bred on such farms.

The production cycle of such farms begins with the release of fry weighing 0.1-5 g. In the farm, you can raise catfish up to 1 kg in just six months. Since fish grow at different rates, the “harvest” is collected weekly, and the caught fish are sorted by weight. Feed consumption on a catfish farm is 1 kg per 1 kg of live weight of fish.

Harvesting manufacturers

For producers they go to natural reservoirs. Harvesting is done in the autumn-winter period. To catch common catfish, straining fishing gear is used. Catching is done a year before spawning in an artificial pond.

Features of harvesting catfish producers:

Before transporting fish, it must be kept in a cage. The catfish “regurgitates” the food eaten the day before - this spoils the water and worsens transportation conditions.
The most promising in terms of production are individuals aged 5-9 years. They weigh a little - up to 10 kg. They are convenient to work with.

Spawning in artificial conditions

It is best to use wintering carp ponds with an area of 500-700 square meters. m. Spawning carp ponds are ineffective - in them, catfish eggs, being scattered over the vegetation, are poorly fertilized and sink into the silt, which makes it subsequently difficult to catch larvae and grown young animals.

Catfish eat a lot before spawning. Before breeding, males and females are placed in a wintering pond with nests made from willow roots. Spawning substrate - nests, attached to wire circles with a diameter of 60-70 cm.

What you need to know about preparing for spawning:

The nests are secured with pegs, 30 cm from the bottom, and 3 m from the shore.
The optimal depth of the pond is 1 m.
The optimal water temperature is 20-22°C.
The catfish are transferred to the pond using a net. It is better to move in the evening.
There should be an equal number of females and males.
Before spawning, females need to be given an injection of the pituitary gland of carp fish - 3 mg (in 3-4 ml of saline solution) per 1 kg of weight.
Spawning will begin one day after being placed in the pond. Spawning duration is 4 hours. The female lays eggs in different nests. It is important that it be quiet during spawning.

Raising young animals

Nests after spawning are completed are taken out of the water. They are placed in special devices - Chalikov apparatuses.

Device performance indicators:

fertilization rate – 80-90%;
larval yield – up to 80%;
incubation duration is 1760-1800 degree-hours.

The larvae are kept in cages where incubation took place. The larvae are transferred to a mixed diet on the 4th day of birth. Rearing is carried out in fry ponds. Replanting rates are 300 thousand fry per 1 hectare of area.

Larval rearing indicators:

weight gain by fry per month - 2-3 g;
survival rate – 80%.

Fingerlings gain a mass of 25-30 g. About 70% of individuals survive. Fingerlings are transferred to a wintering pond for the winter. The norm is 2-3 tons per 1 hectare. One-year-old fish are allowed into the feeding carp pond. The norm is 100-200 pieces per 1 hectare.

What species are grown?

In artificial ponds they grow:

Common catfish . He is fed fresh fish - crucian carp, rudd, as well as granulated salmon feed. The number of catfish weighing 0.1-2 kg should not exceed 50-100 specimens per 1 hectare of pond with artificially grown fish.
African (clariid) catfish . Tasty and unpretentious fish. Grows quickly. The cost of expensive feed and heating water is about 30% of the cost - this is the only disadvantage when raising African catfish. It needs favorable conditions - warm water, high oxygen content in the water, suitable salt pH level. In a year, if everything is done correctly, you can grow fish up to 2 kg.
Channel catfish. Not picky, but heat-loving fish. They are successfully grown in the southern regions, where the water temperature remains at 22°C for at least 4 months of the year.

The Amur catfish is recommended as an additional object for warm-water cage culture. Its two-year-olds have a mass of 550-650 g. The fish productivity of the cages is 94 kg per square meter. m.

Economic importance and protection status of fish

Catfish is a valuable commercial fish. The meat in it is valued - it is fatty, tasty, tender. And in the old days, catfish swim bladders and skin were also used. Glue was made from bubbles, and “glass” was made from leather for windows. At the beginning of the last century, the production of catfish from one reservoir amounted to thousands of tons. Today the catches are an order of magnitude lower.

Uncontrolled fishing and poaching have led to a widespread decline in the catfish population. Today, in many reservoirs where catfish were found in abundance, they have become rare. In many regions, catfish are listed in the Red Book and are under state protection.

Interesting facts about catfish

Catfish is also known for its unusual habits and characteristics. Below are interesting facts that will surprise the reader:

The catfish is not only the largest, but also the most cunning. He uses his whiskers as bait - the fish mistakes them for thick worms. Having noticed the prey, the barbel quickly draws in water along with the trusting fish.
Catfish are unsurpassed greedy and gluttons. They are hungry for any prey. If a catfish sees a nest above the water, it will certainly try to knock it down with its tail. Even if he is not hungry, he will never miss a gaping duck - he will swallow it whole. Young people even attack spoons and animals - calves, dogs.
Catfish are dangerous. Stories about cannibalism have a basis - these huge fish can attack a person.
Before spawning, the giants organize wild games. Males try to show themselves in all their glory - they compete in swimming speed and jumping height. Sometimes up to hundreds of fish gather at the games. The noise from mating competitions can be heard for kilometers. The female chooses a worthy chosen one, and the couple disperses all the unnecessary ones.

Catfish is the brightest representative of the freshwater fish fauna. A worthy object for fishing and an interesting species for breeding. Everyone can find their own interest in this miracle fish.

Copy link

Expert opinion

Can a catfish eat a person? According to the head of the laboratory of the Kazakh Institute of Fisheries, the rumor about man-eating catfish is fiction. The first thing he notes is that there are not such a number of huge fish in reservoirs. Second, predators do not pose a threat like sharks. He believes that there are catfish no more than 2.5 meters in length. But it is wrong to say that they are cannibals. Catfish are shy fish and never go where people are swimming. In addition, large individuals are found exclusively at great depths.

It is quite possible that human remains were found in the stomachs of huge catfish, because they feed on carrion. And the decomposed corpse of a drowned person serves as food for a predator. There is not a single confirmed fact that catfish once ate people. But catfish actually catch large fish, birds and small animals and feed on them.

Maximum length		Weight Limit
historical	modern	historical	modern
5	2,5	more than 300	150