How does it look?

Wels catfish is a large predatory fish belonging to the catfish family. It can be recognized by its large, flat head and wide mouth that is turned upwards. It has numerous small teeth and two long barbels on the upper jaw and four shorter ones on the lower jaw. It possesses a long anal fin that extends to the caudal fin, and a small, pointed dorsal fin located relatively close to the head. The pectoral fins are slender and are used to capture prey. The fins limit the space, forcing the prey to choose the wide-open mouth for escape. Wels catfish lacks scales, and its skin is very smooth. The belly is light-colored. Wels catfish can grow up to 3 meters in length and weigh up to 150 kg.

Where does it live?

Wels catfish is the only catfish species that lives in Latvia. Catfish, especially Wels catfish, primarily inhabit slow-flowing rivers and deep, warm, and large lakes. In Latvia, they are mainly found in the rivers of Daugava basin.

What does it eat?

Wels catfish feeds on various underwater worms, insects, crustaceans, and fish. Larger catfish also prey on perch, mice, rats, birds, and even ducks. Additionally, catfish may hunt smaller individuals of their own species. However, the primary food source for Wels catfish is fish. Anglers often use rabbit meat or liver as bait to catch large catfish.

Interesting and important facts

Wels catfish is a lazy fish that prefers not to move much. Its excellent hearing aids in hunting. Unlike other fish, Wels catfish never leaps, even when swimming close to the water's surface. Typically solitary, each individual catfish maintains and guards its own territory. In waters with an abundance of small fish, multiple catfish can live relatively close to each other. Wels catfish can live up to 30 years, continually growing larger.

Reproductive maturity in catfish occurs at the age of 2-7 years when they reach a length of 35-108 cm. The catfish spawning season begins in April and lasts until August. The number of eggs depends on the size of the female and can range from 100.000 to 370.000. Only the flesh of young catfish, weighing less than 15 kg, is suitable for human consumption. Beyond this size, the fish becomes very fatty and challenging for humans to digest.

Information sources: Wikipedia

Image author: Anastasija Ovsepjana