Unveiling the Fascinating World of Smooth-Skinned Fish: Lesser-Known Facts and Species
One fascinating thing about smooth-skinned fish that few people know is that they belong to the order Siluriformes, which mainly consists of freshwater species with elongated bodies and whiskers around their mouths. Some species are important food sources, while others are kept as aquarium fish in freshwater tanks.
The European catfish (Silurus glanis) can grow up to 5 meters long and is found in the wetlands of Central Europe and Asia. Weighing up to 300 kg, they are among the largest freshwater fish in the world. Due to heavy fishing pressure, these smooth-skinned fish rarely reach their maximum size nowadays.
The striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus) is 32 cm long and inhabits tropical marine regions, making it one of the few smooth-skinned fish that live in saltwater. The young ones of this species form tightly packed ball-shaped schools to enhance their protection against predators. Adult individuals live solitarily and possess highly toxic fin spines.
The brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) is 52 cm long and found in North America. They have venomous fin spines that help deter predators when guarding their nests.
The glass catfish (Kryptopterus bicirrhis) is 15 cm long and native to Southeast Asia. They have transparent bodies and often remain motionless in the water, appearing “invisible” to their prey.
The red-tailed catfish (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) can reach a maximum length of 1.8 meters and is distributed in the river basins of South America. They have been introduced to various continents as aquarium fish. Highly voracious, they often feed on carcasses at the bottom of water bodies.
The sucking catfish (Hypostomus punctatus) is 30 cm long and a freshwater species endemic to South America. This fish has extremely hard scales and specializes in feeding on algae and plant material attached to surfaces or the substrate. It has become an invasive species in many places when escaping from ornamental fish tanks.
The twig catfish (Farlowella acus) measures 16 cm and is found in Lake Valencia and the Torito River basin in Venezuela. This fish is popular in the aquarium trade due to its unique appearance. It also has a hard “armor” similar to the sucking catfish.
The tiger shovelnose catfish (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum) can grow up to 1 meter long and is distributed in South America. Its long whiskers help it locate and catch smaller fish hiding in the riverbed at night.
The Corydoras genus includes various smooth-skinned fish species that can grow up to 7 cm long and are found in different water habitats across South America. Many species in this genus are popular aquarium fish due to their small size and interesting colors.
The Golden Otto (Otocinclus affinis) measures 4 cm and is endemic to Southeast Brazil. Being one of the smallest smooth-skinned fish, they are often kept in aquariums to control algae growth.
These are just a few examples of the diverse and intriguing characteristics of smooth-skinned fish species that are not widely known.
