Amur catfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Amur catfish |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| An Amur catfish caught using a lure at Lake Biwa | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification |
The Amur catfish, also known as the Japanese common catfish or Far Eastern catfish, is a type of fish that belongs to the Siluridae family. It lives in freshwater places across East Asia and Japan. You can find this catfish in rivers, ponds, and lakes in countries like China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, and the Amur River area in Russia. Amur catfish are meat-eaters (carnivores) and are often raised in fish farms.
This catfish is quite large. It has a white belly and some white spots on its sides. Both young and adult Amur catfish have two pairs of long whiskers, called barbels, near their mouth. One pair is longer than their head. Young catfish even have an extra pair of barbels! These fish can grow up to 130 centimeters (about 4.2 feet) long, but they are usually between 30 and 60 centimeters (about 1 to 2 feet). They can weigh up to 30–40 kilograms (about 66–88 pounds).
Contents
What is the Amur Catfish?
The Amur catfish, scientifically named Silurus asotus, is a type of ray-finned fish. Its common names include the Japanese common catfish and Amur catfish. The scientific name Silurus asotus comes from the Greek word silouros, which means "catfish."
What Does the Amur Catfish Look Like?
This catfish has a strong, long body. It can grow about 20 to 50 centimeters (8 to 20 inches) each year. Some can even reach lengths of up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet)! The Amur catfish has a flat, wide head and a mouth at the very front. Its mouth is full of many small, sharp teeth. Its body is smooth and has no scales. The color of the catfish can be olive-green to yellowish-brown. It also has irregular white spots along its sides.
One special feature of the Amur catfish is its long, thin barbels, which look like whiskers. These barbels stick out from the corners of its mouth. They are very sensitive and help the catfish find food, especially since it hunts mostly at night. Both young and adult fish have one pair of barbels that are longer than their head. They also have another pair of shorter barbels. Young catfish, about 6 to 7 centimeters long, have an extra pair of these shorter barbels. The Amur catfish can live in many different freshwater places. It prefers water temperatures between 20 and 27 degrees Celsius (68 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit). You can find them in rivers across Taiwan, China, Japan, and Korea.
Where Does the Amur Catfish Live?
The Amur catfish is a common freshwater fish in Eastern Asia. It likes to live in large freshwater areas. These include slow-moving rivers, irrigation canals, and lakes. It prefers places with lots of grass and good water flow. It also likes areas where light is blocked, as it sleeps during the day.
Who Eats the Amur Catfish?
Some animals that hunt and eat Amur catfish include different reptiles, like monitor lizards. Other fish, otters, and birds, such as birds of prey, also prey on them.
Does the Amur Catfish Move Around?
Yes, when their environment changes, Amur catfish are known to move downstream. They do this to find the best conditions for living.
What Does the Amur Catfish Eat?
Amur catfish are carnivores, meaning they eat other animals. They mostly eat aquatic organisms, which are living things found in water. Because of how their bodies are shaped, these fish can easily sink to the bottom of the water to find food. Amur catfish eat aquatic insects, crustaceans (like crabs and shrimp), and smaller fish in their freshwater homes. They can open their mouths very wide to eat larger prey.
Amur catfish are nocturnal creatures. This means they are active and feed during the night. During the day, they go back to their hiding spots, like caves.
How Does the Amur Catfish Reproduce?
Amur catfish usually reproduce during the warmer months. This often happens in spring or early summer, when the water is warm enough, usually after a rainy season. Their eggs have a distinct green color, which shows they have been fertilized. Larger eggs have a better chance of surviving than smaller ones. The eggs hatch in about 27 hours after they are laid. However, in colder water, it can take up to 48 hours for them to hatch. Amur catfish spread their eggs out when they spawn. This strategy is thought to help more young fish survive.
In some groups of Amur catfish, there are more females than males. Their mating behavior can also be different in various places. For example, in the Biwa population, the male and female catfish follow a specific dance. This includes chasing, clinging, and the male wrapping around the female.
Is the Amur Catfish Eaten by Humans?
The Silurus asotus is found widely in freshwater bodies in Japan, East China, Korea, and Taiwan. It is important for fishing in eastern Japan. However, the number of these fish in the wild has gone down a lot in recent decades. In mountain villages, Japanese catfish are a good source of protein and are part of the local diet. People also raise Japanese catfish in farms. In the past, it was hard to raise young catfish because they would sometimes eat each other. But new farming methods have greatly increased how many young fish can be produced.
People who like to fish for sport often look for this catfish in rivers and lakes in East Asia. The Amur catfish is known for its large size, making it a popular sport fish.
Conservation
The International Union for Conservation of Nature says that the Amur catfish is of "least concern" globally. This means it is not currently at high risk of disappearing. However, in Taiwan, the 2012 Red List of Fresh Water Fishes lists S. asotus as "near threatened."
