Catfish

Catfish are so-named because of their whisker-like barbels, which are located on the nose, each side of the mouth, and on the chin. Most catfish possess leading spines in their dorsal and pectoral fins. Catfish are scaleless, a characteristic of catfishes distinguishing them from most other teleost fish.

One catfish can lay up to 4,000 eggs a year per pound of body weight. The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds. Young catfish are called “sac fry” because they still live off of the food supplied by the yolk sacs. When catfish reach 4 inches long they are called “fingerlings” (the size of an index finger).