Biggest Caught Fish

The biggest fish ever caught is a Mekong giant catfish at the Mekong River in Thailand. The creature was almost 9 feet long, about the size of a Grizzly bear. It was captured on May 2005. It registered a weight of 646 pounds (293 kilograms).

How the Catfish Was Captured

It took four fishermen to drag the creature in. The fishermen tried their best to keep the animal alive. But their efforts proved futile. The catfish died and consumed by the villagers. The Mekong giant catfish is considered an endangered species.

Facts about the Catfish

The biggest fish ever caught is part of the catfish family. These can be found swimming in freshwaters. The catfish holds some ecological niches, ranging from being a pet to a pest. Some specimens are valued by anglers and gamers. Its meat can also be cooked and eaten. This is particularly true if obtained from clean water.

The creature got the name from its whiskers. These can be short or very long. It may be set low on the face or at the corners of the mouth. These creatures do not have scales, although their bony plates are mistaken for these. Its fan is broad and resembles fins, and their tails are forked.

Habitat

Majority of the species are bottom dwellers. They like gravelly settings. Because the catfish are carnivorous, they can become a nuisance if set in a foreign environment. Studies reveal they can destroy plants and harm other fish.

Commercial Farming

Due to their large size, anglers enjoy capturing them. The unique features have produced various legends about the fish. The species are farmed extensively in America. Beginning in the 1980s, an aquaculture market for the species began to emerge. Majority of the catfish available are commercially produced.

Smaller catfish are sold as pets in fish tanks. They can keep the gravel on the fish tank clean. Do not put smaller fish in the tank with it; the catfish will eat them. Do not put sharp gravel in the fish tank; it may hurt the catfish.

While the Mekong specimen is the biggest fish ever caught, claims of even larger fish abound. There are said to be 10 ft long, 500-kilogram catfish in the Bulgarian waters.

There are even reports of 16 ft arapaima somewhere in the Amazon. Giant dog-eating catfish and Chinese paddlefish are also contenders. But for now, the one in Thailand is the largest.