Interesting Fish Behaviour

[Richprins]

This barbel was spotted in Kruger by somabuhla in 2016, moving to find a new pool!

[Lisbeth]

I wonder for how long they can stay out of the water I found nothing on Google

[Flutterby]

Wow!

[Richprins]

I think a very long time, especially at night through wet grass!

[Lisbeth]

2019-05-16 16:15
Aletta Harrison

https://youtu.be/m-bQYVdmuns

A rare coelacanth – one of only a handful of catalogued individuals – has been filmed off the coast of South Africa.

Scientists on a research expedition near Sodwana made the discovery 125 metre below the surface with the help of a remote-operated vehicle (ROV) this week.

The ancient fish were thought to be extinct until they were discovered off Chalumna (near East London) in December 1938.

There are only 33 known individuals, all of which have been catalogued in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

Dr Kerry Sink of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) was able to identify the fish spotted this week as Eric, an individual first identified in 2009 and last seen in 2013.

"We are happy that he seems to be very healthy"

Sink said Eric was fitted with a satellite tag in 2013 that allowed them to track his movements for six months. Tagging animals always comes with risks, so the team was relieved to find him again.

"We are happy that he seems to be very healthy," she added.

According to Dr Jean Harris of WILDOCEANS coelacanth have only been filmed by ROV four times in the area since 2000, three of which were off the team's research vessel Angra Pequena.

Harris was on board when the team made the discovery on Tuesday. She described the experience as "extraordinary and special" and said seeing the coelacanth electrified everyone on board.

"Since they are so rare it was like looking for a needle in a haystack so there was huge excitement on board!" she told News24.

She said the discovery will give scientists insight into the lifespan and habitat of the species.

"It lets us know that coelacanth are resident to the iSimangaliso park – this can help us work out how long they live, but also that there are so few because if there were more we would be seeing a lot more individuals," she said.

https://www.news24.com/Video/SouthAfric ... t-20190516

[Richprins]

Looks like they live a long time!

[Flutterby]

[ExFmem]

We have an invasive "walking catfish" here in Florida. Here is a little bit of info. on them:

*The Walking Catfish (Clarias batrachus) is a species of freshwater fish native to Southeast Asia. In Florida, they grow to about 20 inches long and 2.5 pounds, and their distinct long bodies have long dorsal (back) and anal (underside) fins that run a good deal of their length.

*Walking Catfish can “walk” across land.

These fish like to move from one body of water to another in search of food or a better living space, and they do this by wiggling across land. They use their pectoral fins to stay upright, and wriggle similar to a snake’s movement to flop across land, usually during wet weather. They have a special gill structure that allows them to breathe atmospheric air…instead of scales, they are covered in a slippery mucus that protects their skin when out of the water.

*Walking Catfish dads are good parents.

It’s the males who build nests in underwater vegetation, and they protect the eggs and then the young babies. It’s this added protection from the males at an early stage that helps make walking catfish more successful as an invasive species.


https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/scien ... n-florida/

[Richprins]

Ex!

That is more or less what ours do!

[Lisbeth]

Ex