Clariidae catfish is a unique catfish species with a labyrinth organ or suprabrancial organ that allows some species to breathe air. This ability gives them the capability to travel short distances on land, and there are 2 of them in Cambodia. Besides Southeast Asia, this catfish family also occurs in Africa, India, Syria, and Turkey. Want to find out more about this air-breathing catfish species? Feel free to check out more below.
Bighead Catfish (ត្រីអណ្តែងទន់)
The bighead catfish or broadhead catfish is an air-breathing catfish native to Southeast Asia. Just like the name suggests, it has a big head and large dorsal fin with white spots on the side of its body. Bighead catfish live in brackish and fresh water across Asian countries including Cambodia, China, Malaysia, the Philippines Thailand, and Vietnam. Their favorite habitats are canals, marshes, rice fields, and stagnant pools and rivers. If the water evaporates during the dry season, it can survive for weeks by burying in the mud. On top of that, it can even move out of the water and relocate if it needs to. This Clariidae catfish species is a very important food source for people across Southeast Asia. It is very common to buy them fresh and prepare them by broiling, frying, or grilling.
Walking Catfish (ត្រីអណ្តែងរឹង)
The walking catfish has an elongated body that is around 50 centimeters in length which is pretty big. Its scaleless body is usually gray or grayish brown with small white spots, and the body is covered in mucus. What to have in mind is that walking catfish has sharp embedded pectoral spines hidden behind its fins. Without proper handling while fishing it can result in painful stinging, and they are challenging to handle due to the slippery mucus. It somehow looks a little different from regular catfish species due to the 4 pairs of barbels on its face. However, these whiskers help them locate food in low light and murky water.
This one is also an air-breathing fish native to Southeast Asia, and it is one of a kind with its unique ability. As the name probably already tells, walking catfish can wiggle across dry land to find food or better living environments. Thanks to the pectoral fins, they are able to move like a snake when their current habitats are no longer favorable. Plus the ability to survive up to 18 hours out of water, moving is not a problem for them. This Clariidae catfish species inhabits flooded rice paddies and slow-moving or stagnant waters such as ponds, rivers, streams, and swamps. And while they are resourceful food in Southeast Asia, these catfish are considered an invasive species in Florida instead.
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