Impurest's Guide to Animals #18 - Goonch Catfish

Another early release I hear you cry! Well this weekend (and early next week) I'm away from home, which is the cause you’re your favourite animal blog moving to Friday for another week. Last week the deviant Adelie Penguin was in the spotlight. This weeks animal is a very hungry fish recommended by @OverLordArhas. Hope you guys enjoy.

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Issue #18 – Goonch Catfish

Kingdom – Animalia

Phylum – Cordata

Class –Actinopterygii

Order – Siluriforms

Family – Sisoridae

Genus – Bagarius

Species – yarrelli

Related Species - Three other species of Goonch Catfish exist in the genus Bagarius although debates on the taxonomic placement of the Dwarf Goonch (Bargius bagirus) continue. (1)

Range - The Goonch Catfish is found throughout South Asia, often in fast flowing sections of large rivers

Goonch: The Devil’s Catfish

Goonch Catfish are large brown fish with thick barring down the flanks that grows up to 2m in length and weighs around 200 pounds (the weight varies due to how full it’s stomach is). Like most catfish the Goonch has no true scales and possesses long sensory barbels on its face that give it a superb sense of smell and taste (2). The Goonch is a strong swimmer since it is often found in turbulent water, even swimming in white water with no visible effect from the current.

The Goonch Catfish is a predominantly carnivorous; feeding on other fish, aquatic invertebrates and frogs and is happy hunting live prey and scavenging. In fact a large population of Goonch have become full time scavengers, feeding off human corpses sent down river in accordance to the Hindu beliefs of the people in the area. This behaviour may have turned predatory in the Kali River, with three suspected Goonch attacks on people. Despite these claims there is no evidence that the attacker was a Goonch Catfish (3).

Despite their man eating tendencies Goonch Catfish are at risk of over fishing in the rivers they call home. In addition the fish prefers clear water with stony bottoms, and is threatened by channel dredging, agricultural runoff and water pollution. The current population is unknown and has been listed for future investigation by the ICUN Red List council.

Ecology 101 - A brief guide to Environmental Mechanics #1

A while back @OverLordArhas asked this (almost) question); How about Bagarius yarrelli, known as the giant devil catfish for example: Kinda interested on how they can grow so big.

The Answer to this is one of the driving forces of biodiversity: intra species - competition. Across the rivers of the world there is usually a large apex predator; be it Crocodiles in the tropics, Bull Sharks in South Africa or Pike in Northern Europe. However when these species are absent in the environment the niche is effectively empty (albeit not for long) until another species evolves to fill it.

Catfish especially large species such as the Wels Catfish (Silurus glanis) and its opportunistic diets and adaptable nature make them good contenders to fill the large predator role. Indeed their aggressive natures outside their native ranges show how easily they adapt to this role. A 4m long Wels Catfish from Devon has even been recorded attacking prey on land and dragging water-birds from the surface to supplement its usual diet of fish.

Even when apparently full catfish can continue eating, thanks to an expandable gut and abdomen, this coupled with the fact they keep growing over their entire lifespans (which can be as long as sixty years) leads to some big fish. In addition to their big appetites catfish grow fast, with the Mekong Catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) averaging a staggering 400% increase in size in only the first four months of their lives (4).

Bibliography

1 - www.arkive.org

2 - Bruton, Michael N. (1996). "Alternative life-history strategies of catfishes" (PDF). Aquat. Living Resour.9: 35–41. doi:10.1051/alr:1996040.

3 - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/3163501/Mutant-fish-develops-a-taste-for-human-flesh-in-India.html

4 - http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/fishing/fish-conservation/fish-populations/big-catfish1.htm

Picture References

1 - http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bagariusyarelli4.jpg

2 - http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aYTGz90saGg/SeL7raQQZ8I/AAAAAAAAAu8/z6qGXaxbTNE/s400/Monster+Goonch+Catfish_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg

3 - http://listdose.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/goonch-500.jpg

4 - http://www.gofishing.co.uk/upload/36847/images/catfish%20(2).jpg

Thanks for reading guys; I hope you enjoyed the awesome appetite of the Goonch Catfish. Next weeks we’re back to status quo, Saturday Release ect for those fearing a set pattern of Friday Animal Blogs. As usual you can check out past issues in Impurest’s Bestiary.

Many Thanks

Dr (As of the 2^nd of July) Impurest Cheese

@impurestcheese:

Thank you for answering my query. What I find interesting is that if an ecosystem finds itself without a top predator one will adapt to be it. Nature sure is full of surprises.

...and I did not know that they are used to devour corpses.

@cbishop, @laflux, @ostyo, @wildvine, @delphic, @project_worm, @samimista, @cattlebattle, @xwraith, @cgoodness, @joygirl, @hislolita, @knightsofdarkness2, @scorpion2501, @squares, @OverLordArhas, @darthaznable and @scattered316

The Devil take this Catfish and this card:

@OverLordArhas: Thanks for being patient and sorry about the callout after you have posted. And yes Nature is full of surprises; that said no matter how bad humanity screws up it always finds a way to restore equilibrium and repair the damage done.

@impurestcheese:

One scary thought is; What if nature decides we are unnecessary.

@OverLordArhas: Well I believe that despite it's shortcomings that humanity remains adaptable enough to ride the change. True everyday life might change but until a cataclysmic mass extinction humanity will survive somehow and we have an estimated three million years to find a way past that.

@impurestcheese:

Considering man's attitude with regards to nature, I'm not sure if we have that long. :(

@OverLordArhas: I agree that mankind could be less destructive but you have to remember that Humanity evolved as a tropical species but survived one of the coldest time periods in recent paleontology. Humanity is adaptable to say the least. I'm certain a small population can survive the majority of the natural cataclysms our species has earned

If I were a mer-man, I would ride that thing into battle.

@cattlebattle: Well that isn't disturbing at all. Also how does a Merman or for that matter a Mermaid ride an animal?

Ahhh...the infamous goonch finally gets the spotlight, I never knew they could swim in torrents though.

Blub

@scattered316: Yep, they are fast water specialists. Ironic since they have negative buoyancy and sink like a stone (almost like the Salmon Shark discussion from two weeks ago)

@scorpion2501: Really, just random animal noises. And besides Catfish don't have any real vocalisations

@impurestcheese: Hey, you notice there hasn't been a lot of ducks out on the pond lately? How strange...

@ostyo: Wels wels looks like somebody picked up on that. And here's proof of the Wels Catfishes hunting prowess and it's new nickname: The Freshwater Killer Whale

@impurestcheese: gratz to your doctor degree

@warlock360: Thanks. Long time no hear from BTW

I've always wanted to catch a Goonch

@cgoodness: Okay that tares it. Need something to reset the status quo in my favour. How come so many people know about Goonch Catfish?

@impurestcheese: I didn't think as Catfish as candidates for mesopredator release, but it makes sense. As always very informative. Fish where never my strong suit :P

@laflux: Well not all of them are predatory. The largest Catfish the Mekong River Cat is an herbivore which only occasionally partakes in cannibalism to supplement its diet. Whatever the case thanks for the comment

@impurestcheese: there's a popular tv show in America called Rive Monsters, in fact the pic of that pokemon card comes from it

@impurestcheese: You don't like my animal noises :c?

@cgoodness: Ah okay I've never watched it, mostly because I don't watch much TV save the news and weather

@scorpion2501: There okay but it would be nice to get more than 'blub' as a response to my work

@impurestcheese: I'm very sorry for offending you.

@scorpion2501: That's okay, not really offended that much

Some mermen have legs.....so its not too different from how you would ride a horse I guess.

@cattlebattle Ah so you mean the ugly lame annoying Submariner/Aquaman type

Wow, those things must be a pain to catch.

@squares: Probably. I know from witnessing a 1.5m Wels being landed that cafish put up a hell of a fight when hooked

@impurestcheese: My jaws are open in amazement. :P

@impurestcheese: things to do, places to you know how it goes.

@ostyo: And your point?

@warlock360: Cool, will re add you to the call out list if you want

@impurestcheese: Pretty awesome catfish can do a lot more then people gave them credit for. *Puts on Catfish costume*

Be nice, some people might have that type of mermen as family members or friends

@impurestcheese: sure go ahead.

@cattlebattle: No

@warlock360: Cool Beans

@impurestcheese: Well thats just being plain, uh.......speciesist??

@cattlebattle: Not really because Mermaids/men are not real

@impurestcheese: You're not real

*cries*

@cattlebattle: Yep, I'm part Dryad

@impurestcheese: explains your avatar

@impurestcheese: Thanks

I'm a day early but I did want to congratulate you on achieving your doctorate. That is huge news.

I am convinced you intend to keep me out of any body of water where I am. I never once thought catfish were anything other than a poor fisherman's catch. Knowing they've developed a taste for human flesh makes me wonder about when they are caught and then feasted upon by humans.

I really enjoy these articles and hope you still find time to post them now that we have a doctor in the house.

@hislolita: Thanks on all accounts

Great thread and congratulations on the doctorate! The Goonch Catfish seems really cool.

@knightsofdarkness2: Thanks