Fish facts #7 - Jeremy Wade feat. The Wels Catfish [Video]

This European river (and lake) monster is one of most seeking species as a fishing target. Fighting with this catfish is really hard when you hook it especially when it's good sized one (200 cm and more). It never going to leave bottom of the river and lake until you are going to make it tired unless you are gonna get tired first, then you lost the battle. It doesn't have scary teeth but it's jaws are huge and 200 cm fish can swallow small dogs or birds (they love ducks and pigeons) but still the main targets of their diet are fishes. Surely one of the greatest fishes in Europe. I'm still looking for opportunity to catch really big one.

Before you will see the video a short information about this fish.

The Wels Catfish or European Catfish (Latin: Silurus glanis, Linnaeus, 1758)

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)

Order: Siluriformes (Catfish)

Family: Siluridae (Sheatfishes)

Genus: Silurus

Species: S. glanis

Distribution

Europe and Asia. North, Baltic, Black, Caspian and Aral Sea basins, as far north as southern Sweden and Finland; Aegean Sea basin in Maritza and from Struma to Sperchios drainages; Turkey. Absent from the rest of Mediterranean basin. Now widely introduced and translocated throught Europe and Lake Balkhash basin in Kazakhstan. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction. In Appendix III of the Bern Convention (protected fauna).

Size / Weight

Max length : 350 cm;

common length : 200 cm;

max. published weight: 306.0 kg;

max. reported age: 80 years;

Environment

Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic;

non-migratory;

depth range 0 - 30 m;

Temperate; 4°C - 20°C;

62°N - 36°N, 0°E - 80°E

Short description

Distinguished from all other freshwater fishes in Europe by the following unique characters: two pairs of mental barbels; and anal fin with 83-91½ rays. Differs further from the following combination of features: body naked; large, depressed head; dorsal fin with 2-4½ rays; caudal fin rounded or truncate; no adipose fin; and anal rays almost touching caudal. Caudal fin with 17 rays.

Biology

Inhabits large and medium size lowland rivers, backwaters and well vegetated lakes. Occurs mainly in large lakes and rivers, though occasionally enters brackish water in the Baltic and Black Seas . Found in deep waters of dams constructed on the lower reaches of rivers. A nocturnal predator, foraging near bottom and in water column. Larvae and juveniles are benthic, feeding on a wide variety of invertebrates and fish. Adults prey on fish and other aquatic vertebrates. Attains first sexual maturity at 2-3 years of age. Spawns in the salt water of the Aral Sea (at Kulandy). Marketed fresh, canned and frozen; can be pan-fried and baked. Locally threatened due to river regulation destroying shallow spawning sites .

Supporting source: http://www.fishbase.org

Video