Eel-tailed catfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eel-tailed catfish |
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The eel-tailed catfish, also known as dewfish or freshwater catfish, is a special type of catfish found in the rivers and lakes of eastern Australia. It gets its name because its tail looks a bit like an eel's tail! Its scientific name, Tandanus tandanus, comes from an old Aboriginal Australian word for the fish, "Tandan," which was recorded by Major Thomas Livingston Mitchell in 1832.
This fish lives in freshwater environments, mainly in the Murray-Darling river system.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
Size and Appearance
Eel-tailed catfish commonly grow to about 50 centimeters (almost 20 inches) long. They usually weigh around 1.8 kilograms (about 4 pounds). Some can grow much bigger, up to 90 cm (35 inches) and weigh 6 kg (13 pounds)! These fish can live for about 8 years.
Adult eel-tailed catfish can be olive-green, brown, black, or purplish on their backs. Their undersides are white.
Special Features
They have a large head with thick, soft lips and tube-shaped nostrils. Their skin is tough and smooth. Around their downturned mouth, they have four pairs of barbels. These are like whiskers that help them find food.
The fish has a solid, almost round body that tapers into a pointed, eel-like tail. A continuous fin runs around this tail section. Their eyes are small.
Be careful! The eel-tailed catfish has sharp, serrated spines on its back and pectoral fins. These spines are venomous and can cause a very painful wound if they prick you.
Where Does It Live and What Does It Eat?
Habitat
The eel-tailed catfish likes slow-moving streams, lakes, and ponds. It prefers places with plants along the edges. This fish usually swims close to the sandy or gravelly bottom. You'll find more of them in lakes than in fast-flowing rivers.
Even though adult catfish are usually alone, young ones might swim together in groups. They live in most freshwater areas of the Murray-Darling river system. However, they are not found in the cold, high-up parts of the southern rivers. They are also found in some rivers on the east coast of New South Wales.
Diet
Young eel-tailed catfish eat tiny water creatures called zooplankton and small insects, especially midge larvae. Fish that are about 100 mm (4 inches) long also eat small fish.
Adult catfish enjoy shrimps and crayfish during warmer months. In winter, they still eat midge larvae. They also munch on mollusks and the larvae of dragonflies, caddisflies, and mayflies.
Reproduction
Eel-tailed catfish lay their eggs in spring and midsummer. This happens when the water temperature reaches between 20–24 °C (68–75 °F). They build large nests, up to a meter (about 3 feet) wide, using small stones and gravel. The eggs are laid inside these nests. One parent, or sometimes both, will guard the eggs until they hatch.
Why Are Their Numbers Declining?
Conservation Status
Freshwater catfish were once common across eastern Australia. However, their numbers have dropped a lot since the 1980s. Many populations in the southern Murray-Darling river system have disappeared or are almost gone. They are still relatively common in coastal rivers north of the Hunter River in New South Wales.
Threats
Many things have caused the decline of freshwater catfish in the Murray-Darling Basin since the 1970s. These include:
- Habitat loss: Their homes are being damaged or changed.
- Barriers: Things like dams stop them from moving freely.
- Introduced species: New fish like carp (which eat similar food) and Redfin compete with them or eat them.
- Siltation: A lot of mud and dirt in the water can cover the rocks and pebbles they use to build their nests, making it hard for them to reproduce.
Because of these problems, the freshwater catfish population in the Murray-Darling Basin is listed as:
- Endangered in New South Wales (under the Fisheries Management Act 1994).
- Threatened in Victoria (under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988).
- Protected in South Australia (under the Fisheries Management Act 2007).
Luckily, populations in some rivers and dams in the northern Murray-Darling area seem to be doing well for now. They thrive in the higher parts of these northern rivers, unlike in the cooler, higher parts of the southern rivers where they are not found.
Images for kids
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Eel-tailed catfish at Adelaide Zoo
See also
In Spanish: Tandanus tandanus para niños
