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Additional information (Wiki):
Catfish (order Siluriformes) are
a diverse group of ray-finned fish.
Named for their prominent barbels, which
resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range
in size and behavior from the heaviest,
the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast
Asia and the longest, the wels catfish
of Eurasia, to detritivores (species
that eat dead material on the bottom),
and even to a tiny parasitic species
commonly called the candiru, Vandellia
cirrhosa.
There are armour-plated types and also
naked types, neither having scales.
Despite their name, not all catfish have
prominent barbels; members of the
Siluriformes order are defined by
features of the skull and swimbladder.
Catfish are of considerable commercial
importance; many of the larger species
are farmed or fished for food. Many of
the smaller species, particularly the
genus Corydoras, are important in the
aquarium hobby. |
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