Walking Catfish Facts

It uses its pectoral fin spines as anchors to prevent jackknifing as its body musculature produces snakelike movements.

Walking catfish facts. The walking catfish clarias batrachus is a species of freshwater airbreathing catfish native to southeast asia it is named for its ability to walk and wiggle across dry land to find food or suitable environments. Their elongated body will grow to approximately 1 foot long and is covered in a thick layer of mucus. The head is flat and wide and the body tapers to the tail. Outside of their natural habitat walking catfish with calico colors and spots of orange have been found.

These fish like to move from one body of water to another in search of food. Walking catfish species clarias batrachus of asian and african catfish that can progress remarkable distances over dry land. To what extent this distribution comprises the native range of the walking catfish is open to conjecture. Treelike respiratory structures extending above the gill chambers enable it to breathe.

Within 10 years the fish spread to 20 counties in the state. These fish are typically grey or they may be grey with a slight brownish tint to their skin. It can also survive in oxygen depleted conditions due to its ability to breathe atmospheric air. Walking catfish in florida 1.

The walking catfish is a widely distributed species known from pakistan eastern india sri lanka ceylon bangladesh myanmar burma thailand malaysia singapore indonesia and the philippines. The fish s ability to survive in stagnant water makes it a valuable source of food especially in southeast asia. The walking catfish is native to asia common in ponds and freshwater fish farms from pakistan to the philippines. Walking catfish are an invasive species in florida.

Most catfish have poor eyesight and using their barbels to locate food. An incredibly hardy species the walking catfish is tolerant of a very wide range of water chemistry and temperature. 11 points added 8 years ago by janetk. Points indicate records of walking catfish in florida as of may.

In the 1960s aquaculture farmers in florida import ed the fish. While truly it does not walk as most bipeds or quadrupeds do it has the ability to use its pectoral fins to keep it upright as it makes a wiggling motion with snakelike. In fact it is thought that the fish can literally drown if deprived access to the water surface for long enough. Walking catfish use their wiskers to find food.