Catfish, due to its prevalence and large size, is a coveted object of catch for many anglers. Catfish weighing up to fifty kilograms are considered normal. But large specimens can no longer be lifted by one person - their mass is calculated in centners, and some representatives of this species of fish can reach three meters in length. There are quite a few cases of catching catfish of extraordinary size, but the fishermen are in no hurry, usually
to somehow fix such a fact, therefore it is simply not possible to reliably determine which largest catfish was caught and where. I must say that the habitat of freshwater catfish in the world is very large - it loves temperate and warm latitudes, but it does not occur at all in the northern regions.
Officially, the Guinness record holder is a Thai inhabitant of the Mekong River. The mass of the giant was 292 kilograms. Since the catch was recorded in the presence of witnesses, it is this freshwater fish that is the largest incatfish world. It is also curious that almost ten years have passed since the capture of the giant, and no one has yet overcome this record.
Ichthyologists claim that giant catfish are not such a remarkable phenomenon, it's all about the purity of water and plentiful food. By the way, catfish are predators. The main diet - crayfish, fish, frogs, leeches, does not shun carrion. Giants prefer ducks and other birds, do not disdain squirrels and any gaping small animal. But, according to historical sources, modern catfish are small compared to their predecessors. For example, in the German Oder at the beginning of the nineteenth century, a catfish weighing from 400 to 450 kilograms was caught! This is to the fact that the modern largest
European catfish weighed only 150 kilograms. The lucky owner of the catch turned out to be the Italian Armando Frisero. Native expanses are also famous for their giants. The largest catfish in Russia was caught in the nineteenth century. Its weight was 347 kilograms with a length of four and a half meters! Currently, there are no recorded cases of catching huge Russian catfish, alas. And it's not that the fish has been transferred - on the Volga, for example, two-meter-long catfish are the most common occurrence. Most likely, the whole point is that the certification of the catch is a rather troublesome business, and the fishermen do not consider it necessary to waste time on such trifles. Or maybe just modesty gets in the way. One way or another, but the record holder of the Russian scale currently does not officially exist.
Besides gigantic size,catfish can also have an unusual color. For example, albino catfish are found in the British river Ebro. The largest catfish with a lack of melanin was caught by Chris Grimmer.
The albino weighed 88 kilograms. The largest catfish is believed to be found in the Dutch lake at Centerparcs. The giant, up to three meters long, is a local landmark and bears the name Big Mommy. By the way, this lady has a good appetite, because she eats two or three waterfowl every day, in addition to the usual food.
Despite the fact that the catfish is not able to grab prey with its teeth due to their smallness, it bites painfully. There are also known cases of catfish attacks on people. All this makes the waters in which these unusual creatures live unsafe for swimming.
