The walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) is a species of freshwater airbreathing catfish native to Southeast Asia. It is named for its ability to "walk" and wiggle across dry land, to find food or suitable environments. While it does not truly walk as most bipeds or quadrupeds do, it can use its pectoral fins to keep it upright as it makes a wiggling motion with snakelike movements to traverse land. This fish normally lives in slow-moving and often stagnant waters in ponds, swamps, streams, and rivers, as well as in flooded rice paddies, or temporary pools that may dry up. When this happens, its "walking" skill allows the fish to move to other aquatic environments.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
We have no record of Walking Catfish being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Clarias fuscus
- Heteropneustes fossilis — considered venomous
- Clarias gariepinus
- Silurus asotus
- Plotosus canius — considered venomous
- Silurus glanis
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Siluriformes
- Family
- Clariidae
- Genus
- Clarias
- Species
- Clarias batrachus
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