FACT SNACK

December 1

Walk This Way...
What kind of fish can walk? The walking catfish ~ Clarias batrachus. Though originally from Southeast Asia, the walking catfish arrived on the shores of the US in the 1960s. Floridians wanted to put them in fish tanks. The catfish had other ideas.

These Fins Are Made For Walking. A number of walking catfish escaped or were released, and made their way to the Everglades and other moist regions.

The Fish No Cage Can Hold. Land barriers that stop the progress of most fish had little effect on the Walking Catfish.

The Walking Catfish, brought into the United States by the exotic fish business, escaped or was released from fish farms in southern Florida. It has spread rapidly, damaging native fishes in areas where this species has become established.

Walk This Way. Actually their walk is more like a crawl. The Walking Catfish uses the pull of its pectoral spines and sideways wiggling to "walk". Its strolls can be quite long, due to a special respiratory organ that helps them breathe and the ability to survive for months without eating.

Frosty the Catfish? Cold seems to keep the Walking Catfish somewhat contained. It does not like icy climes.

Why Did the Catfish Cross the Road? To eat. In Asia, Clarias Catfish can wipe out entire fish species in local ponds, then walk away in search of a new feeding pond. They eat anything and everything that gets in their way.

Multiplying Catfish. The catfish can breed in thousands.

Link for More.