Many people have an opinion about catfishes, with most having either neutral or negative perceptions. Some perceive them as lovable characters who try hard to connect with other fish and humans, while others believe they are social vultures that use human interactions for personal gain.
Some even claim that some species of catfish don’t belong in aquatic environments because of what they call “lack of backbone.” This is when their spines disappear and/or thin out, making it difficult if not impossible for them to defend themselves against larger animals like alligators or sharks.
Experts agree that this isn’t true, but there is one type of catfish that does pose a little bit of controversy. The snake-eel catfish has been known to develop thick skin around its dorsal fin (the back tail fin) which resembles osteoderms, or bone plates found on certain reptiles.
These plate-like scales can grow up to three inches long and help protect the animal from predators by acting as additional armor. Although these features aren’t actually bones, many people consider them to be due to similar developmental processes.
The catfish industry is very large
Many people are drawn to the entertainment value of catching a fish that looks like it has been put there on purpose. There have even been videos showing how to trick a catfish into thinking it has a mate by putting together fake bone structures.
This got us wondering – what happens to all of these lost cats after they die?
Many times, their bodies get discarded in waterways or ponds where they can decompose and contribute to water pollution. When this happens, toxic chemicals such as heavy metals can seep out and contaminate aquatic ecosystems.
These pollutants can be harmful for other animals in the area, especially young ones who may ingest some water or soil while drinking or swimming.
There are many misconceptions about catfish
According to some, if a catfish does not show its spine quickly then it has been “de-spined” or bullied into submission. This isn’t true at all!
Catfish do have spines! They just happen to be made of bone instead of cartilage like most fish.
Just because they aren’t as flexible as eel doesn’t mean they don’t stand up for themselves. In fact, some species are known for their tenacity when attacked!
There is no rule saying that every catfish must poke out its backbone after being grabbed or hit.
There are many levels of catfish
Level 1- Technology Only Fish
These are the easy ones to identify, as they do not require any kind of backbone. You can tell these by their lack of dorsal fin or spine markings that show their back bone.
Level 2- Semi-Techinical Fish
These fish have very slight spines or fins that are mostly concealed under body hair. This is typically referred to as ‘catfished’ because people claim to find it difficult to determine if there really is a spine or not!
Level 3- Fully Techinical Fish
These completely lose the myth of having a spine! These actually don’t have anything resembling a backbone at all.
There are no external ribs, nor internal bones that could be misidentified as one, making them impossible to identify without using X-rays or CT scans.
Catfish have a backbone
There is one thing that all truly catfished individuals have in common, and it can be pretty tough to see past sometimes. It’s an internal drive to get back onto social media and save your online life!
Catfishing happens when someone creates an account or profile with false information about themselves. They may even make up fake relationships with you so people connect with them more often. This uses a lot of energy for other users to believe these lies which makes it hard to keep distracted.
It also hurts their self-esteem since they feel like things are not good enough to satisfy you. This makes them question if they really exist or not.
Many times, after chasing down this “person” (or should I say “cat”) for weeks, months, or years, the person will eventually reveal themselves. When they do, there is no longer an incentive to chat with them because you already know who they are.
This is why most people giveup quickly; they realize what is happening and stop engaging with them. Sometimes however, some people hold strong and continue talking to them until they finally admit it!
I wanted to take a moment to talk about something that has been making waves lately within the relationship community – does catty women exist? Many men claim that almost every woman is very judgmental and sarcastic towards other people including their significant other.
Catfish are very intelligent
Many people consider catfish to be poor, ignorant individuals that only learn how to survive by using stealthy tactics and trickery. This perception is quite wrong!
Catfish actually show strong emotions and have distinct personalities. Some types of catfish even seem to understand some languages!
There are many examples in literature and movies of such stories. For example, in The Lion King, Mufasa (the king) was so passionate about his son being crowned as heiress that he became emotionally distant and irritable.
This emotional distance eventually led to him attacking and killing himself. While this might sound dramatic, it is true!
In the movie Finding Dory, Dory finds herself lost and alone in an unfamiliar area. She feels scared and helpless, which makes her think about ways to get back home.
One of these strategies she comes up with is trying to find someone or something that resembles your parent. If you look around, you will probably see at least one other animal that looks like its mother.
They can feel pain
Many people have mentioned how much they enjoy watching catfishes play or interact with other fish, but few talk about it with any degree of seriousness. Some even go as far to call them beautiful!
Catfish are capable of feeling pain just like us human beings. This is something that must be understood before trying to train or socialize one. When talking about experiencing pain in an animal, there’s two main factors: genetics and experience.
If you look at your dog or cat’s parents, you will likely find some level of gentleness and obedience. These animals are trained from birth, so their genes help facilitate this behavior.
For cats, this tendency towards gentle behaviors is intensified due to evolutionary psychology. Cats are predators who rely heavily on stealth and cunning when hunting prey. Due to this, they are naturally wary and careful around new things.
This instinctive caution is what makes it difficult to teach cats to respond to commands. Since most dogs and cats are bred for survival, they are more easily acclimated to new experiences.
Gentle horses and cattle are similarly hard to get into action. Even if you manage to use force to make them do something, it may take repeated attempts until they “forgive” you and work with you.
With cats, however, it takes very little time before they show signs of aggression.
They have a brain
Many people may refer to catfishes as ‘sea monsters’ due to how they look, but what most don’t know is that these animals are very intelligent! This can be seen when you put them in an aquarium with other fish of similar size, where they interact with each other.
They can taste
Many people have discussed how catfishes are able to detect low levels of electro-chemical signals in water. This includes whether there is an increase or decrease in acidity, salt concentration, and/or potential differences (electric field strength).
Some researchers believe that this ability has little to do with perception but rather sensory detection. These theories suggest that changes in these components elicit reactions from the fish’s sense of smell or taste, which then get interpreted by the brain.
However, recent studies show that even very small amounts of chemical change actually stimulate the taste receptors in the tongue, allowing for better quality food intake. This seems more likely than before!
Catfish may rely less on their sense of taste, and instead use other clues to find foods. It is also possible that as they grow older, their sense of taste diminishes, making it harder to determine what tastes good and bad.