Catfish: description, distribution, lifestyle and method of fishing

Catfish is a freshwater large fish without scales from the order Catfish, representing the catfish family.

The species is distributed in lakes and rivers throughout Europe, except Norway, Italy, England, Scotland and Spain. Representatives of this species are found in southern Finland and Sweden. The distribution area of catfish in the south is limited to the coastal waters of the Black and Aegean Seas, in Asia – to the Aral Sea. Catfish that live in rivers that flow into the Black, Baltic, and Caspian Seas often swim into their salty waters. In the upper reaches of rivers, fish are rare; the highest concentration of catfish occurs in large reservoirs and at river mouths.

Common catfish (Silurus glanis).

Description

Som
Som

- Latin name - silurus glanis. Fish of the catfish family. The very first impression that a catfish leaves is extreme ugliness: a completely naked body covered with mucus, a blunt head, a huge mouth from which mustaches extend like two fleshy worms, and on the chin there are 4 more mustache-worms, but smaller ones. The catfish's tail is not much like a fish's, it is very long (it makes up more than half of the body), flat, flattened laterally. If you add that this monster can be very large - up to 5 meters in length, and sometimes weighs more than 300 kg, then you get a truly memorable sight. Such giants, however, occur at 80-100 years of age.

Catfish is a giant fish. This is the largest predator living in fresh water. Belongs to the catfish family. The common catfish is common in Russian reservoirs. It sometimes reaches a length of 3 m and a weight of 300 kg. Scientists believe that such giants are about 80–100 years old, but catfish weighing 10–20 kg are more common. Their body is covered with a thick layer of mucus, their skin is dark with a greenish tint.

Lifespan

The lifespan of a catfish depends on its variety and conditions of detention. The average lifespan of an individual is about 8 years. In the wild, large species can live to be 100 years or more. It is possible to keep about 800 varieties of catfish in an aquarium. Thus, a popular species is the chain-mail catfish, covered with fused bone plates. It has a bottom sucker mouth and loves to feast on algae. This species includes catfish Ancistrus, Otocinclus, Loricaria, Sturisoma , whose life expectancy in good conditions is limited to 8 years.

Also common in the aquarium hobby are armored, or callichtaceous, catfish, distinguished by two rows of bony plates. A special feature of the fish is its ability to breathe atmospheric air. This species includes corydoras, dianema and tarakatum, which live on average 6-7 years.

The armored family, which is characterized by covering the body and head with bony plates and three pairs of long mustaches, is also popular. The most popular representatives of the armored species are considered to be agamixis and platidoras, which live up to 15 years at home, and up to 20 years in the natural environment.

The lifespan of catfish from the fringed catfish family is 5-15 years, but there is evidence of individuals that have lived up to 23 years in nature.

Another common inhabitant of aquariums is the colorful flat-headed catfish, or pimelodaceae. In nature, it has a fairly long lifespan, but it is impossible to give exact figures, but in an aquarium, a representative of the family, for example, Sorubium paddlefish, lives from 5 years or longer.

Distribution and habitats of catfish

Distribution of the common catfish
This heat-loving fish reaches its greatest numbers in the basins of the Caspian, Aral, Azov and Black Seas, mainly in the pre-estuary spaces and deltas of the Volga and Don rivers. This fish is not found in the Arctic Ocean basin.

There are never too many catfish in any river, so catching such a trophy is a real success. And to increase your chances, you need to know where catfish live and where the fishing spot is. When catching such fish, it is not enough to simply throw bait; first you need to clarify the habitat of the catfish.

Catfish cannot tolerate sunlight; they love to hide in deep ravines where the rays do not penetrate. If there is a fallen tree nearby, then this place is also worth paying attention to. In places where the current is strong, the chance of catching a catfish decreases. These fish love areas with vegetation, and if there are sharp shores, then perhaps they hid in the caves there. Catfish also love muddy bottoms.

Areas with lots of weeds, fallen trees and if the area is quiet can be a haven for catfish of all sizes. True, when fishing, this causes some inconvenience for the fisherman, in the form of difficult maneuverability. You can’t reach deep places from the shore, so a boat is one of the most important accessories when catching such fish. But you should not approach the intended place point-blank on a boat, this will scare away the fish. It is advisable to be at a distance and the farther the better. Catfish live almost everywhere, be it a river, lake or reservoir.

Actual habitats of catfish

Usually the places behind the bridge supports are very deep, where the largest representatives of this species live. True, getting to such places is quite difficult.
Deep holes with algae are one of the favorite habitats of catfish.
Flooded buildings are very popular with such fish because of their protection from currents and extraneous noise.
Small isolated islands of vegetation, catfish use them to hide from the sun.
Formed pits at the drainage of two rivers.

There are still a lot of favorite places for catfish, here are just the main ones. Therefore, it is advisable to first thoroughly examine the area, and only then come in full equipment.

It is important to note that as water temperatures drop, catfish migrate into deep holes in the lower reaches of large rivers. By this time, the autumn feeding is almost over, and, having chosen a wintering pit, catfish of the same age and weight, with the onset of cold weather, stop feeding and fall into a stupor, in which they remain until the beginning of spring.

Record from Holland

Weight:

104 kg

Was caught in one of the Dutch parks (Centerparcs). The Dutch fisherman, who was lucky enough to catch the trophy, later recalled this more than once and spoke in detail to the local media. Soma was released. At the time of capture, the underwater inhabitant had a length of about two meters and a weight of 104 kg.

After the capture of the underwater giant, the popularity of the park increased among both locals and tourists. Over the past few years, it could well have grown to even more impressive proportions. Local authorities made this catfish a real star. Its capture in the park is prohibited, and workers of the natural site carefully monitor the habitat of “Big Momma” - that’s what it was later called.

Catfish lifestyle

Catfish lifestyle

- freshwater predator. The range of its diet is quite wide - from mollusks and frogs to large pikes. It eats ducks, geese and other waterfowl, as well as nutria, muskrats and even dogs that swim across a body of water. Catfish do not disdain carrion, and if they get hungry, they even attack completely inedible things, for example, rags.

For all their greed, catfish are lazy and clumsy, especially large ones. They are not always able to profit from fast, large fish. Therefore, they often resort to various tricks. For example, they open their mouths and lie motionless, when a small fish approaches this mouth, the catfish draws water into its mouth along with it. He can also hide himself in the vegetation, and only show his whiskers, which look like worms and attract fish.

But this does not mean at all that the catfish avoids open attack. Once near the prey, the catfish hits it hard with its tail, stuns it, and then eats it.

Catfish spawning

Catfish spawning

It happens in a rather peculiar way. Before this, they gather in flocks and make a lot of noise. Huge catfish, chasing each other, inspire fear in all inhabitants of the reservoir. During these games, females choose a mate. The pair drives away all other males. Splashing, mating couples wrap themselves around each other like snakes.

Before spawning, the female catfish digs a nest in the form of a hole with her pectoral fins. She lays eggs at the bottom of this hole, which the male catfish immediately waters with milk - sperm. The number of eggs reaches 130 thousand.

The development of fertilized eggs occurs under the vigilant protection of both parents. We must pay tribute to the fact that, unlike the vast majority of fish, catfish remain marital fidelity until they fully fulfill their parental duty - they release small catfish into independent life.

In late autumn, catfish go to winter. To do this, they choose deep holes and bury their heads in the mud. They occur in fairly numerous groups. Sometimes other large fish lie on them, sometimes in several tiers.

Trophy from Kazakhstan

Weight:

130 kg

The largest catfish live not only in the European part of the continent. In 2007, a mustachioed weighing 130 kilograms was caught in neighboring Kazakhstan. Thanks to this trophy, the Ili River has long hosted fishermen from many Western and CIS countries. The length of the catfish was 2.7 meters.

It was caught by locals who assured that it was not the only big fish. Indeed, the trophy attracted the attention of many fishing tourists, who were also lucky enough to catch similar trophies within 130 kg.

Catching catfish

Catching catfish using kwok
There are many different types of catfishing

. Among them, the most famous are catching catfish with a quok, a spinning rod, a donka, a float rod and a number of others. Nowadays, catching catfish with a quok has become less successful and is rarely used, although there are remote corners where they still catch with a quok, for example, in some tributaries and channels of the Pripyat. The most common fishing is with bottom rods. On lakes they sometimes catch fish in circles. Increasingly, catfish are becoming prey for spinners, and catfish up to 3 kg are caught on float rods when fishing with a crawler, a spindle and a bunch of worms, as well as with crayfish and bivalve shells. Fishing for catfish begins before spawning - when the flood level drops and the water becomes clearer. At this time they are caught all day. In summer, catfish bites occur more often after sunset - all night until sunrise. Catfish can be caught during the day, but the larger the catfish, the more careful it is and hunts only in the dark. Particularly large ones are found on clear, moonlit nights and during thunderstorms, when they rise to the surface. At the beginning of summer (before spawning) they are caught at a depth of 1–2 m in bays, creeks, and on shallows adjacent to the riverbed. In summer, after spawning, near steep banks, at depths near the exits of holes, at the end of pools, near the shores under overhanging bushes and trees.

A bottom fishing rod for catching catfish should be especially durable. Scaffolds are 0.7–1.0 mm in diameter. One or two leashes 0.4 m long and 0.6–0.8 mm in diameter, but soft leashes made of woven nylon or silk are preferable. Hard leashes alarm catfish. Hooks with a long shank No. 10–16, according to the bait, tees are often used. The sinker is heavy, sliding, weighing up to 100 g. The leashes are connected to the line with carabiners. After casting, the line is tied to a firmly driven stake, tree trunk or bush. As bait in the spring, a bunch of large worms, crawlers, as well as live bait, leucorrhoea, gudgeon and loach, are used. Catfish take better bait with large live bait, weighing 200–300 g. Particularly long casts will not bring success, the catfish goes near the coast, do not forget about this. In summer, the range of baits expands; in addition to those already mentioned, they use a spindle, a bunch of bivalve shells, a mole cricket, locusts, large seals - rhinoceros beetle larvae, and a black leech. Particularly popular are various birds whose plumage is scorched in the fire. Indeed, the smell of burnt cornea irresistibly attracts catfish, so fishermen sometimes resort to cunning. A small piece of burnt felt, hoof, horn or felt is placed on the hook, and then a crawl, a bunch of worms, etc.

The catfish bite is very sharp, which often leads to self-hatching. Sometimes it is first expressed in the weakening or tension of the line, but then frequent and strong jerks follow one after another. In all cases, a vigorous hook is used so that the hook penetrates deeper into the mouth, and fishing begins. Feeling pain and danger, the catfish often “lies down” - goes behind a driftwood, boulder, snag and does not move. However, it is worth placing a plank or stick on the stretched line and tapping it with a hard object, while simultaneously tugging on the stretched line, and the catfish will go into action. The catfish must be led persistently, pulling it to the shallows, where it can be stunned, stained under the bottom of its mouth, and pulled out away from the water. Medium and small catfish can be caught with a landing net. You need to be attentive and careful, do not allow the catfish to jerk on the extremely stretched tackle, and hand over the supply on time. Do not wrap the line around your hand, so as not to cut it to the bone; you should be careful not to get your foot into the loop of the line on the ground.

Fishing with a spinning rod can be especially successful on lakes in the pre-spawning period, but a slow retrieve of a large spoon or tackle with a large fish (150–250 g) is necessary. Fishing is also successful on a number of rivers that quickly clear of turbidity. However, the most successful catfishing occurs in the summer, with the beginning of the hot season, continuing until the beginning of the autumn coloring of the leaves. Captures are especially frequent on thunderstorm days and nights. The spoon should be driven at a slightly slower pace past individual clumps of algae, boulders, driftwood and snags, trying to ensure that it passes no further than 0.5 m from them. In daylight, the spoon should pass near the bottom, and in twilight - higher. You need to make at least a dozen runs past suitable shelters - the catfish doesn’t always take it on the first cast. A catfish bite feels like a hook, the hook should follow immediately. To equip a spinning rod, fishing line with a diameter of 0.5–0.6 mm is used. A leash is not used. The reel makes fighting fish very easy.

Reproduction

You can stimulate the reproduction of catfish by lowering the water temperature in the aquarium. The spawning period lasts up to 5 days, and during this time the female and several males must be transplanted into a spawning tank - a special container with a volume of 30 to 70 liters. You can also breed fish in a plastic basin if there is no other free container. It is advisable to additionally equip it with driftwood and plants so that the fish feel comfortable. The suitable water temperature for breeding catfish is 18–20 °C.

Catfish fry

The main thing is to correctly determine the sex of the fish. It is usually not difficult to distinguish a female from a male; the male has a brighter color and a slender body. Changes in water temperature accelerate the onset of spawning. Courtship lasts about 1 week, while the male tries to show himself in all his glory. He circles around the lady, trying to arouse her interest. When the female pays attention to him, the male touches her with his antennae, indicating his readiness to reproduce.

Channel catfish

Channel catfish
Channel catfish

was brought to Europe from America. This is a heat-loving fish, so it is most often found in rivers and lakes in central Russia. Its size is significantly smaller than that of an ordinary catfish - its weight is no more than 2.5 kilograms, and its length is about half a meter. The peculiarity of this fish is the absence of scales and large and sharp spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins. Skin color is gray-brown or green-brown, with rounded black spots.

The channel catfish is distinguished by its rapid growth; at two to three years its length already reaches 30-40 centimeters. This predator is of interest to sports fishing enthusiasts. The peculiarity of the channel catfish is its omnivory - it literally eats everything it sees, from fry, crayfish and beetles to ordinary grass. In the summer, this fish is at its peak of activity, and in the winter it goes into deep-sea holes.

Channel catfish are an excellent trophy for spinners, although they can be caught with mugs and regular float tackle. The hook can be used either double or single, size 8-10. As for the fishing line, 0.25-0.3 millimeter can easily withstand a small catfish.

The main thing when catching a predator is not to rush into hooking. Wait until the fish swallows the bait completely. If a spoon is used, then you need to hook when the catfish rarely strikes, breaking free.

Feeding in a home aquarium

It is important to figure out what to feed the catfish when placing it in an aquarium.
These are very easy-to-care fish that are suitable even for beginner aquarists and hobbyists. The pet will always find food for itself by sucking on aquarium glass, the bottom, driftwood and algae in the tank. Some owners do not buy special food for these fish, since they eat up what other inhabitants have not eaten, but this approach is wrong

The pet will always find food for itself by sucking on the aquarium glass, bottom, driftwood and algae in the tank. Some owners do not buy special food for these fish, since they eat what other inhabitants have not eaten, but this approach is wrong.

Sticky fish can eat pieces of fish, frozen food, tablets, cereals and even other inhabitants of the aquarium, especially fry, without any twinge of conscience. For this reason, there will be no problems with preparing food for your pet. You can buy ready-made food, or prepare it yourself by cutting seafood, seaweed, spirulina and freezing them.

Ready-made feed

Food for catfish requires special attention from owners. Often, bottom-dwelling fish (especially in a community aquarium) remain deprived, as they feed on the leftover food of their relatives who eat on the surface. Ready-made specialized feeds are developed in accordance with the lifestyle characteristics of the species. They are fast-sinking and usually come in fairly large and hard forms. This is protection from being eaten by other fish, because allows the food to sink to the bottom immediately after falling asleep and soften gradually.

So, what can you feed catfish in an aquarium:

Tetra TabiMin is a base mixture for fish that live on or near the bottom (catfish, loachfish, barbs). It is in the form of light green tablets. Tablets TabiMin contains a complex of vitamins, micro- and macroelements, and a special component to attract fish (helps prevent malnutrition and stunting). Sold in packages of 120, 200, 500, 1000 and 4000 tablets;
Tetra Wafers Mix is a mixed sinking food for different types of catfish living in the same aquarium. The package contains granules of different contents, some for herbivorous species with spirulina, others for predators with shrimp meat. Available to customers in jars of 100, 250 and 1000 ml;
Tetra Pleco Wafer is the best choice for herbivorous catfish species; it comes in dense plates that slowly dissolve at the bottom and do not pollute the water. In addition to the usual basic food, PlecoTablets Min tablets with a high content of spirulina are available;
Sera Vipagran is a universal staple food for mixed community aquariums. It can also be used for catfish. But it should be remembered that the granules sink slowly, so they need to be poured enough to feed both surface fish and catfish.

Natural food

Aquarium catfish will not refuse live and plant food (depending on the species). An excellent treat for the inhabitants of the aquarium will be bloodworms, daphnia, cyclops, tubifex, livebearer, etc. Along with general health benefits, such nutrition stimulates spawning and promotes the rapid appearance of eggs. Only newly born catfish will not give up their first complementary food - ciliates. For active growth and development, it is advisable to give microworms and artemia to fry.

It is allowed to give catfish boiled chicken meat, pieces of black bread, and treat them with cucumber. But it is worth remembering that such food leads to water contamination, unlike store-bought tablets and granules. You need to place a piece of driftwood with bark in the aquarium - representatives of the species will gladly eat rotten places, bringing it to a shine.

What do average individuals eat?

Young fish of three or four years of age turn into full-fledged predators, although their growth and maturation continues. The river catfish gives preference to the inhabitants of the reservoir that have swum into its lair, but its favorite delicacy is green frogs. Medium-sized individuals are distinguished by their gluttony, which is why they often became fishing prey, flattered by a worm impaled on a hook. During growth and formation, the main diet consists of fish and the remains of living creatures.

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