PlanetCatfish.com

Hi All,

My wife was cleaning the tank yesterday and moving some of the housing around. She felt a slight pain in her hand and when she pulled it out there was a small welt on her hand. We have 3 Sun Cats and two other smaller catfish which I can't ID (very small with a snout like nose). Here is the question, my wife thinks that one of the catfish may have stung her with one of the barbs? Is this possible? My wife thinks that they can inflict some sort of poison into you with their barbs. Please help me to clear up what I think is her active immagination.

Thanks to all,

Jay

Catfish can and do "sting", but not with their barbels. The first ray of their pectoral and dorsal fins can puncture skin, with the mucus coating around it irritating the wound. A few catfish, such a can actually deliver venom with their spines.

Rusty

I think she was more likely bitten than stung. Most catfishes do not actually try to actively sting with their spines. When threatened, they usually extend their spines fully and lock them, but they will swim at anything to try and use the spines offensively.

Silurus wrote:I think she was more likely bitten than stung. Most catfishes do not actually try to actively sting with their spines. When threatened, they usually extend their spines fully and lock them, but they will swim at anything to try and use the spines offensively.

Did you mean to say "won't" or "will not", instead of "will" in that second bold statement?

Sorry, forgot the "not". I meant to say "will not".

I didn't think they had enough teeth to inflict a bite, but what do I know? Thank you for the replies. J

You'd be surprised how toothy most catfish are. Most are capable of giving you a decent bite if they wanted to.

Ok, then what is a safe way to handle these fish? Not that we plan on doing it alot. Also what is roughly the life span on a typical catfish?

J

Ok, then what is a safe way to handle these fish?

With a plastic bag or a small bucket. Although with experience, you can handle catfish safely with bare hands.

Also what is roughly the life span on a typical catfish?

Life span is individual to each species. So i can't really give an average. However I can't think of a catfish that lives less than 5 years.

magnum4 wrote:

Also what is roughly the life span on a typical catfish?

Life span is individual to each species. So i can't really give an average. However I can't think of a catfish that lives less than 5 years.

All cories live at least 5 years?

No, Corydoras should reach 10-12 at least with proper care.

Perhaps the smallest Corydoras (C hastatus and the like) are really old at 5-6 or so.

The ones I've experienced that don't live that long, are the ones that swim around a lot (Pareutropius, Neetropius, Gagata, Pygidium, Tridensimilis etc).

But many of those are kept too warm, wich also adds to the againg process.

I've heard of a number of times where catfish have passed the 20 year mark; they're a long-living group. Even cories can live over ten years.

Hello, all. I new here, but this topic is rather rear to home.

I'm not sure about the many freshwater species, but here in Florida we have two types of saltwater catfish, the hardhead and the gafftopsail. Bot can inflict excruiating pain with both their pectorals and dorsals. I've only been nailed by a hardhead once, right in the webbing between thumb and index finger, and I can honestly say it was awfull. Extreme pain, swollen hand etc. For several days no less.

Unfortunately, I can't remember which one it is, but either ammonia or vinegar will erradicate this pain almost instantly. I'm pretty sure its the ammonia.

My father and I used to catch catfish. When we would clean them if you slipped and caught a spine in the finger then your finger would swell up and definately sting. Sometimes you could still feel it a few days later. If you handled them even when they were alive they would not try to bite and not try to back a spine into you. But it wasn't too hard to accidentally get stuck with one and then as I said, stinging and swelling.
Chris