Catfish Characteristics
Catfish is a large and meaty fish species from the Siluridae family. It has a shiny and scaleless body, a flat and wide head, a large mouth and long tails. The body of some types of bows is covered with heavy plates of tough, armored skin. Catfish can be petrol green and gray in color, but it varies depending on the environment it lives in. This fish, which stands out with its long lifespan and rich nutritional value, has become a popular food in world cuisines. Catfish meat is edible and quite delicious. In this article, catfish characteristics, where does it live, what does it eat, how does it catch? We will touch on topics such as.
What Do Catfish Eat?
Catfish is a nocturnal type of fish and will eat almost anything, dead or alive. Its feeding range is quite wide and it eats many creatures such as small fish, worms, leeches, insects, crabs, dogs, cats, frogs and birds. Catfish detect their prey thanks to vibrations in the water and their sense of smell and swallow them whole.
Where Do Catfish Live?
Catfish mostly live in deep waters and swampy areas. Catfish is found in southern Europe and Asia. In Turkey, it is seen in large rivers and dam lakes. It lives in caves formed in deep, large rivers with slow currents, and among submerged trees in the water. Also called freshwater shark.
Reproductive Period
Catfish enters the breeding period in April-May and June. Starting from the beginning of April, they enter the mouths of small stream beds opening into large rivers or lakes to spawn. In Turkey, the breeding period of catfish coincides with mid-April and lasts approximately 3 weeks. They lay eggs in the silence of the night when the water temperature reaches 20 degrees. Female catfish lay an average of 7000 - 25,000 eggs per kilo. The female fish lays around 500,000 eggs in the nest prepared by the male. The eggs are 2 - 3 mm in size, light yellow in color, and stick well to each other and to the ground.
Development of Offspring
The babies hatch within 3 days. The kittens, who are protected in the nest for a while, then begin their natural life despite all the dangers. The surviving offspring reach the maturity required for reproduction after 4 to 5 years. At this age, the fish has reached a length of 60 - 70 cm, and it has no natural enemies other than humans.
Catfish Hunting
Catfish hunting is done in two ways: with artificial bait and natural bait. Catch hunting with natural baits is more common. Scent baits are used to catch this fish, which can be caught even by hand during the winter months. Many fish that go by scent because they cannot see well can be hunted en masse. Bottom fishing rod and float fishing rod are generally used for fishing.
