A FISH WITH WHISKERS
They are fun to fish for. You can keep
them in an aquarium. And, they make
a tasty meal. No matter how you enjoy
them, catfish are fascinating underwater
creatures.
With the exception of Antarctica,
catfish live on all continents and are
believed to include 3,000 different
species. Some catfish are live in
freshwater ecosystems like rivers and
streams. Others are at home in saltwater,
like the ocean. Catfish can be just inches
long or they can be giants: it the Mekong
catfish in Asia can reach nearly nine feet
in length and up to 646 pounds.
Catfish are easily recognized and
distinguished from other fish due to
some unusual characteristics. Catfish
are named for their barbels around the
mouth, which resemble cat's whiskers.
Catfish also have smooth, scaleless bodies
and flat heads. Catfish are typically dull
in color so they can blend into their
surroundings, but there are some more
brightly colored varieties.
Catfish in Arkansas
One of the more popular North
American catfish is the channel catfish. It
is sometimes known as the "Fork-Tailed
Cat," "Fiddler" or "Lady Cat." The
flathead catfish is another prominent
North American species, as well as the
blue catfish. All three types are found in
Arkansas.
Both channel and blue catfish are
found in lakes in Arkansas, and channel
catfish are native to the Arkansas Ozarks
streams. Arkansas Game and Fish stocks
tens of thousands of channel and blue
catfish in Bull Shoals Lake, Lake Norfork,
and area streams every year. Flathead
catfish are native to most of the Arkansas
Ozarks waters, including lakes and
streams.
What they eat
Channel catfish are omnivorous,
generally feeding along the bottom.
They will eat crayfish, fish, amphibians,
terrestrial insects, and decaying matter.
Blue catfish are a more aggressive fish
predator that generally inhabits the
open water. Flathead catfish are pure
carnivores, they eat almost nothing that
is not alive.
"Seeing" with their whiskers
Barbels and other sensory organs help
catfish locate food in the dark waters
they call home. They also have taste
sensors all over the surface of their
bodies. These taste buds detect chemicals
in the water and respond to touch.
Purring like a catfish
Catfish may not say "meow," but they
can produce various sounds. According
to SoftSchools.com, catfish are able
to produce and detect sound due to a
bony structure that connects their swim
bladder and auditory system. By rubbing
together body parts or inducing vibration
of the swim bladder, catfish can produce
different noises.
On a plate
Their sweet-tasting, mild flesh makes
catfish an important food source around
the world. In the United States, fried
catfish is especially popular in the
southern states. Catfish is also popular in
parts of Asia and Africa.
40 • MAY 2020 • Of f icialKidsMag.com
