do large catfish species have spines?
Started by
Guest_FirstChAoS_*
, Oct 29 2011 01:01 PM
11 replies to this topic
#1
Guest_FirstChAoS_*
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Posted 29 October 2011 - 01:01 PM
I have experience with bullhead whose spines are well known and madtoms whose spines are infamous. But larger catfish species such as channels, blues, and flatheads are largely outside my range. (not counting a recent channel catch). I never hear of sharp fin spines on these species so I wonder. Do they have sharp fin spines? Are they big enough to mak spines easilly avoidable? Maybe the big cats don't have claws and that is why I never heard of it.
#4
Guest_Yeahson421_*
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Posted 30 October 2011 - 12:14 AM
Well, it sure does feel like they have venom!I did not think there was confirmed venom in the larger catfishes. They do have spines that are very sharp when they are juveniles. As they grow the spines seem to dull.
#5
Guest_LincolnUMike_*
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Posted 30 October 2011 - 11:25 AM
I did not think there was confirmed venom in the larger catfishes. They do have spines that are very sharp when they are juveniles. As they grow the spines seem to dull.
LOL, I have to agree with Yeahshon. If you don't have rhino skin, they are still sharp enough to puncture!
According to National Geographic, a U of Michigan graduate student, Jeremy Wright, did a study of 158 catfish species (http://news.national...oxic-poisonous/). This study suggests that approximately half of the known catfish species are venomous. However, many of these cats progressively lose their venom glands as they grow larger.
#6
Guest_Yeahson421_*
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Posted 30 October 2011 - 11:54 AM
That's what I was thinking. After thinking about my own experiances and others, we found the fiddlers (eating size Channel Cats, about a foot long) definately sting you, but once the gets older, although I've still felt the jab of a spine, it doesn't have the same feeling of stinging pain.According to National Geographic, a U of Michigan graduate student, Jeremy Wright, did a study of 158 catfish species (http://news.national...oxic-poisonous/). This study suggests that approximately half of the known catfish species are venomous. However, many of these cats progressively lose their venom glands as they grow larger.
#7
Guest_vadeeter_*
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Posted 25 June 2014 - 09:29 PM
flathead catfish are an exception to the sharp spines. The bone that would be the spine changes to cartilage about half way from the body of the fish. The soft tip makes it not possible to cause a puncture. Blues, channels and bull heads will stick you but not a flat head. I catch a lot and show this to people. Some will look and look for the sharp spine but they don't find it .
#8
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 25 June 2014 - 09:58 PM
Not entirely true. As catfish age, and grow, the spines that were once very sharp become blunt. This happens with channel catfish and blue catfish as well as flatheads. Channel catfish typically do not have sharp spines once they reach 12 inches or more.
#10
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Posted 26 June 2014 - 06:26 AM
I believe it. With enough force, anything can pierce the skin. The difference between a juvenile channel catfish and an adults spines is like comparing a needle to a ballpoint pen. Can you get stabbed by a pen, sure, but it is much easier to get pricked by a needle.
#12
Guest_butch_*
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Posted 27 June 2014 - 06:42 PM
I've found that mature bullheads (over 10") have dull spines when compare to young bullheads. I caught few larger channel catfish and they do not have any sharp spines. I did got jabbed by a YOY flathead last summer. It hurts!
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