Holy MOLY! Huge Catfish feeds an ENTIRE Village!

irishgrl · #1 07-22-2005, 08:30 PM

World's Largest Catfish Caught in Mekong

June 29, 2005â€”A fish to validate even the tallest fishing whopper was wrestled out of a river in northern Thailand a month ago. The 646-pound (293-kilogram) Mekong giant catfish measured nearly nine feet (2.7 meters) longâ€”thought to be the largest freshwater fish on record.

Scientist Zeb Hogan, who is on a National Geographic-sponsored expedition to study the great freshwater fishes of the world, said he scoured Thai and other records but could not find any fish that weighed more than this one. "If there are reliable records of larger freshwater fish, I'd like to know about them," he said.

The Thai fishers who caught the giant catfish struggled for more than an hour to land the behemoth. At first it was hoped the male fish could be returned to the river to continue its spawning migration. But the fish died and ended up feeding almost an entire village.

"I'm convinced that there are even larger living freshwater fish, even catfish," Hogan said. "I think the giant freshwater stingray is probably the biggest of the freshwater fishes. I've heard stories that they can weigh 500 kilograms [1,100 pounds] or more, and I believe them." (view a photo of a giant freshwater stingray )

The giant catfish caught in Thailand needs to be put in context, Hogan said. "These giant fish are uniformly poorly studied and some are critically endangered. Some, like the Mekong giant catfish, face extinction. My study of giant freshwater fish is showing a clear and global pattern: the largest fish species are disappearing. The challenge is clearâ€”we must find methods to protect these species and their habitats."

â€”David Braun

View a photo gallery of the giant catfish.

Read the news story about the catfish and Zeb Hogan's great fishes project.

GateandGarden · #2 07-22-2005, 08:33 PM

That is too cool. Too bad it had to die. I mean, I'm sure it's good nourishment and all, but it's such a wonderful creature. I wish it could still be swimming around. I've seen some big catfishes, but wow!

DrummerDeanna · #3 07-22-2005, 08:36 PM

HOly Crap!!! That is one big ass fish!!!

irishgrl · #4 07-22-2005, 08:37 PM

Im with you....with genes like THAT we could solve world hunger!

We NEED fishes like that to spawn.......plus they are just majestic creatures and awe inspiring to look at....

seeker007nmss · #5 07-22-2005, 08:37 PM

Fishy...Fishy...Fish... Who can spot the fish? (Okay Monty Python Fans...There you go)

darklinensuit · #6 07-22-2005, 10:53 PM

I just flahed on that story from a couple of years ao when the whale exploded all over that city street in Asia. Blechh.

- Jake

David · #7 07-22-2005, 10:56 PM

Holy Christ on a flipper!!

You know, I would not personally partake of that catfish. I don't like to eat of freaks of nature. It's obviously some sort of mutant. Its flesh must be composed of mutant cells with strange habits.

darklinensuit · #8 07-22-2005, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Holy Christ on a flipper!!

You know, I would not personally partake of that catfish. I don't like to eat of freaks of nature. It's obviously some sort of mutant. Its flesh must be composed of mutant cells with strange habits.

Tastes like chicken.

- Jake

GateandGarden · #9 07-22-2005, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darklinensuit

I just flahed on that story from a couple of years ao when the whale exploded all over that city street in Asia. Blechh.

- Jake

Whoa! I didn't hear about that! What happened there?

darklinensuit · #10 07-22-2005, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GateandGarden

Whoa! I didn't hear about that! What happened there?

Huge whale, waiting to be moved in the street, and the heat made it go boom. It was foul. There were pics, but I'm sure they can't do the smell justice.

- Jake

GateandGarden · #11 07-22-2005, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darklinensuit

Huge whale, waiting to be moved in the street, and the heat made it go boom. It was foul. There were pics, but I'm sure they can't do the smell justice.

- Jake

How awful!