Catla

Young fish of Catlabarbe

The Catlabarbe ( Catla catla ( Syn: Gibelion catla ) ) is a large carp fish from South Asia.

Distribution and habitat

The Catlabarbe found in waters of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar. The fish live widely used in rivers, backwaters, canals, floodplains, lakes and ponds created by people.

Description

The Catlabarbe is the only species of the genus Catla. It is similar to the habit of the European Giebelkarausche, is characterized by a large protruding mouth.

• Fins formula: Dorsal 17-17, Anal 7-8.

The largest caught on rod Catlabarbe weighed 38 kilograms and came from the Powai Lake in India. In the Palm Tree Lagoon in Thailand a 32 -pound specimen was caught. The final weight of this species is estimated to be 110 kg at 180 centimeters in length.

Way of life

One finds Catlabarben from freshwater to brackish water, preferably at water temperatures of 18 to 28 ° C. They feed mainly at the surface or in the middle water omnivorous insects, phytoplankton and detritus. Catlabarben are not predatory. Sexual maturity is reached at an age of about two years. The fish do then at the beginning of the rainy season upstream migrations to their spawning areas. The spawning season falls in Bangladesh and India, with the monsoon season of May to August together. In aquaculture, reproduction by hormone injections ( Hypophysation ) is initiated.

Benefit

Catlabarben are popular food fish that are kept in fish farms and fresh offered at local markets. In Bangladesh, they are produced in the Kaptai Lake for the most part. There you can feed them with rice or wheat bran, mustard oil cake, or other residues from the plant processing. Due to their sizes they are popular fishing fish. In Thailand they are fattened in many fishing ponds to high final weights.