Fun Devil Catfish Facts For Kids
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Also popular as the goonch, the giant devil catfish (Bagarius yarrelli) of order Siluriformes, can be spotted in South Asia. The genus name, Bagarius, has been extracted from the local Bengali term 'baghair', or 'baghari'. The super large goonch has been popular for its excessively violent nature.
The documentary named 'River Monsters' was aired on Animal Planet on October 22, 2008. The show was conducted by Jeremy Wade, a biologist, that featured the goonch in its most aggressive forms. No doubt, they're called the 'devil' catfish!
Although the goonch is plentiful within its habitat, the species has often found itself in the face of exploitation as a result of unrestrained human activities. Exploitative fishing practices and the erection of hydroelectric dams have severely impacted marine biodiversity at large.
The large fish has a high commercial value owing to its use in the fish trade. They're fished out for their delectable flesh, while recreational anglers hunt for the large adult ones as game fish.
Are you intrigued to learn more about some other catfish species? Then check out these mind-boggling facts about the black lancer catfish and the butter catfish.
Devil Catfish Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a devil catfish?
The devil catfish (Bagarius yarrelli) is a species of fish classified under the genus Bagarius.
What class of animal does a devil catfish belong to?
The goonch catfish of the Sisoridae family belongs to the class Actinopterygii.
How many devil catfish are there in the world?
The trajectory of the goonch population has exhibited a significant decrease. Over the last three generations, a decline of 30% has been recorded in the drainage systems of the Mekong and Brahmaputra rivers.
Even in West Bengal, a considerable decrease has been witnessed. However, there's no substantial evidence of the accurate number of the species in current existence because of no quantified records.
Where does a devil catfish live?
The species can be found in several countries of South and Southeast Asia like Bangladesh, India, China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Nepal, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.
What is a devil catfish's habitat?
The habitat range of goonch consists of rivers and streams. They prefer to stay in clear and swift-flowing waters with sandy or rocky substrate.
Who do devil catfish live with?
The species can dwell solitarily and can also stay with aquarium mates. However, they're known to be pretty aggressive.
How long does a devil catfish live?
The life expectancy of the goonch cannot be stated owing to the dearth of concrete research data.
How do they reproduce?
The breeding period initiates before the arrival of monsoons. Generally, the catfish reproduce by spawning. Specific details about the breeding habits of the species are not known.
What is their conservation status?
A Vulnerable status has been rendered by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List to the goonch (Bagarius yarrelli) of Siluriformes order. This is due to the drastically diminishing population of the fish within its geographic range.
Devil Catfish Fun Facts
What do devil catfish look like?
Catfish are a huge family of more than 3,000 versatile species like the black devil catfish, red devil catfish, and cuckoo catfish. Among all, the goonch is a large-sized fish known for its monstrous appearance.
No evidence of sexual dimorphism has been recorded. The fish possesses a green, brown, or tan colored body banded and marked with dark pigments. However, the most prominent feature of the fish is its ultra-sharp serrated teeth and strong, broad jaw.
*Please note that this is an image of a redtail catfish, not a devil catfish. If you have an image of a devil catfish, please let us know at hello@kidadl.com.
How cute are they?
Fishes are beautiful aquatic creatures. Some possess an excessively pleasing appearance, while others look pretty ugly. Have you seen the spotted catfish? It has a beautiful polka-dotted body! On the other hand, the devil catfish exhibits a monstrous appearance that is not at all synonymous with cute.
How do they communicate?
Did you know that catfish croaks when they sense danger? The croaking sound is produced to shoo away predators. The catfish communicates through various sounds. They can drum, grunt, and even sing! The species can also identify and detect prey by smelling.
How big is a devil catfish?
The average length of the large goonch can go up to a maximum of 79 in (200 cm). In comparison, the blue catfish is pretty small, measuring about 25–60 in (64–152 cm) in length.
How fast can a devil catfish swim?
A catfish is not considered to be one of the fastest swimmers among fishes. The fish engages in vertical swimming motions. The speed range of the goonch needs to be unveiled.
How much does a devil catfish weigh?
The species (Bagarius yarrelli) comes in an unimaginably large size, weighing more than 200 lb (90.7 kg).
What are the male and female names of the species?
Neither sex of fish have exclusive names. They're commonly called male and female fish.
What would you call a baby devil catfish?
A baby goonch is simply regarded as a fry.
What do they eat?
The diet of the humungous goonch incorporates crustaceans, small fishes, invertebrates, and amphibians. The fish is known to be an aggressive predator.
Are they dangerous?
Commonly found in India, the goonch is known to exhibit aggressiveness. Very large specimens of the species are capable enough to gobble leftovers of human bodies or corpses. The fish posits no life-threatening danger to humans as they're often found in the pet trade. However, no conclusive statements can be made regarding its behavior towards humans.
Would they make a good pet?
Not all catfish are aggressive. Some species like the cory catfish and redtail catfish are often reared by aquarists. Small specimens of goonch are taken up as pets. However, they need a large swimming space and might even attack other smaller fish.
Did you know...
Did you know that the goonch (Bagarius yarrelli) is considered holy in Chattisgarh, India? The fish popularly goes by the name 'shark of the Bastar'. Tribal communities like Gonds and Murias worship the species.
Are devil catfish Extinct?
The goonch (devil catfish) is not yet Extinct since they're still prevalent in great numbers. This large fish can be easily traced in the several rivers of India, namely, the Indus, Brahmaputra, and Ganga Basins.
However, the population of the species has projected a consistent decline especially due to human intervention. Activities like the construction of hydroelectric dams and fishing have proved to be serious threats for several species of catfish. As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Mekong giant catfish is already Critically Endangered.
How did the devil catfish get its name?
The devil catfish (Bagarius yarrelli) derived its name from its ferocious devil-like nature. The fish is also renowned as a killer or monster fish for its frightful appearance and killer instincts.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these granulated catfish facts and channel catfish facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable fish coloring pages.
Devil Catfish Facts
What Did They Prey On?
Crustaceans, small fishes, invertebrates, amphibiansWhat Type of Animal were they?
CarnivoreAverage Litter Size?
N/AHow Much Did They Weigh?
More than 200 lb (90.7 kg)What habitat Do they Live In?
River and streamWhere Do They Live?
southeast asiaHow Long Were They?
Up to 79 in (200 cm)How Tall Were They?
N/AClass
ActinopterygiiGenus
BagariusFamily
SisoridaeScientific Name
Bagarius yarrelliWhat Do They Look Like?
Green, tan, brown with dark bandsSkin Type
Wet scalesWhat Are Their Main Threats?
human activitiesWhat is their Conservation Status?
Vulnerable
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