Interesting Facts About Catfish
Catfish are most active at night and during cloudy days. One species commonly swims upside down, while another discharges electricity. Some catfish make sounds by vibrating their swim bladders or moving their fins.
- A catfish has about 100,000 taste buds
- Catfish are raised in freshwater ponds of only four to six feet deep.
- Farm-raised catfish are taught to eat feed pellets that float on the water surface. Catfish are bottom-feeding wild.
- A catfish can put up to 4,000 eggs a year per pound of body weight.
- Small catfish are called "fry" as they still live on food supplied by the yolk sac.
- When the catfish reach 4 inches long are called "fry" (the size of an index finger).
- The catfish are harvested in the nets when they weigh about one to one and a half pounds.
- About 95% of farm-raised catfish in the nation stands in Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana.
- Catfish is now the fifth most popular fish in America.
- Catfish is available throughout the year.
- More than 447 million pounds of catfish were produced in 1995.