CATDOLL : CATDOLL: Is catfish the same as marlin?

Fish (Osteichthyes)

(gǎn) (Elopichthys bambusa), belongs to the Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae, subfamily Eloidinae, genus. Commonly known as yellow H, yellow diamond, yellow cheek fish, pole fish, water tiger, big mouth, widower. The English name is Yellowcheek carp. It has a slender body, subcylindrical shape, and a long pointed head. The snout is pointed and beak-shaped. The mouth is large and terminal, with a hard protrusion in the middle of the front end of the lower jaw that fits into the depression of the upper jaw. It has no whiskers, and the eyes are small and slightly protruding. There are three rows of hypopharyngeal teeth, and the ends of the teeth are hooked. The scales are small. The dorsal fin is small, and its starting point is behind the pelvic fin; the caudal fin is deeply forked. The back of the body is gray-brown, the abdomen is silvery white, the dorsal fin and caudal fin are dark gray, and the cheeks and other fins are light yellow. It likes to eat fish smaller than it. (Generally, if there are a few fish in a fish pond, other fish in the entire fish pond are basically extinct, and it is the natural enemy of general fish farmers) In some areas, it is confused with herrings, and the dialect calls it silk mixed.

Fishermen: What kind of fish is this? It looks like an eagle.

This 75-centimeter-long eagle-beaked fish is actually a fish. The fish swam desperately and hit the bottom of the boat when the net was collected, so its head was hit into its current shape. The fish is known as the freshwater overlord fish. It is a ferocious and swift fish with great strength and swimming speed, but its body shape is obviously very different from the water monsters people have seen. Finally, on the fourth day of the net, the most shocking scene appeared on the water. At the moment of collecting the net, various fish on the upper layer desperately jumped up to the water surface. When people slowly lifted the net, everyone was stunned.

Huang Jinde: That fish, the marlin we caught was this big.

It turned out that this time they caught a huge fish that was 1.72 meters long and weighed more than 140 kilograms. The fish, also known as marlin, is a ferocious carnivorous fish. At this time, everyone noticed that the color of the big fish began to change.

Huang Jinde: After the marlin dies, it will usually turn a little yellow. Its back is originally black, and it will turn a little yellow.

So, is this huge fish the real culprit for the disappearance of millions of fish fry? Can it penetrate the polyethylene fishing net and drag the fishing boat? Can it even accelerate to 40 kilometers per hour within 25 meters? Experts tell us that the amount of food a fish eats is generally proportional to its length and weight, that is, the larger the fish, the more food it needs to eat every day. At the same time, because fish exercise a lot, they need more food every day than ordinary fish.

Expert: The first thing we picked out is the fish maw, and this is the intestine. You see, its intestine is different from that of silver carp. It is straight, almost straight from the stomach to the intestine, with a slight bend in the middle, so it is very short.

Chen Chunhui told us that the intestines of this fish are straight, so the food is digested very quickly. Because this fish has a bony pointed jaw, a barrel-shaped body and a huge forked tail fin, it can accelerate and impact in a short distance. The fishing nets of the fishing company have weakened due to long-term use and naturally cannot withstand such a huge force. Experts speculate that the Dajin Lake monster is most likely this fish known as the freshwater overlord fish.

The spread of species should be a headache for many countries, because foreign species often occupy and squeeze the living space of native fish species after spreading. With the development of internationalization, countries all over the world should have faced the problem of species invasion. The only difference may be whether the species has successfully spread. These fish species that spread in other countries often have a "notorious" reputation, like rats crossing the street, and everyone wants to beat them.

There are two types of freshwater fish that have "dominated the local area" without invading other countries. They stand at the top of the local food chain and mainly feed on local freshwater fish species, which has a strong destructive power on local fish resources. These two fish are fish and alligator gar. They are dominant in their native places. If they invade the waters of other countries again, the consequences will be disastrous.

At this point someone asked, fish and alligator gar are both dominant fish species, if they meet and "collide", which one will be stronger and which one will be weaker?

▲The top of the picture shows the alligator gar, and the bottom shows the fish

Origin and characteristics of fish and alligator gar

Fish and eels are both typical freshwater fish species, but their original production places are different, so no real game has been achieved so far. So we might as well get to know them first and then have a "collision in the air".

1. Alligator Gar

1) Origin: Alligator gar is the largest of the seven species of gar in North America. It is mainly distributed along the Gulf Coast from Mexico to the United States, the Missouri River and Ohio River, the Mississippi River, Nicaragua and other places.

2) Appearance characteristics: From the appearance characteristics, the alligator gar is covered with hard phosphorus, like wearing a helmet and armor. It is difficult to break it with ordinary attacks, which is also one of its reliance.

The alligator gar's mouth is filled with sharp teeth, and even when faced with some fish species with thicker scales, they can easily tear them apart and swallow them.

▲ Alligator gar

2. Fish

1) Origin: The fish belongs to the order Cypriniformes, family Cyprinidae, subfamily Leucine. They can be found in rivers in plain areas from north to south in China except the northwest and southwest regions.

2) Appearance characteristics: From the appearance characteristics, the fish appears more energetic and streamlined, its body surface is slightly yellow, its abdomen is silvery white, its dorsal fin and caudal fin are blue-gray, and it has a faster swimming speed and great explosive power in the water.

Fish do not have sharp teeth in their mouths. They mainly forage in the middle and upper layers of water. When faced with food, they often swallow it in one gulp.

Summary: Judging from the origins and body characteristics of fish and alligator gar, alligator gar has armor-like scales and teeth that can easily tear apart other fish species; fish has a faster swimming speed and can swallow food that is larger than its body size.

▲The fish caught

Fish and Alligator Gar Lifestyle

When a species can stand at the top of the food chain, it is enough to show that it has a strong ability to adapt to the environment and that it also possesses certain life characteristics. Only when it is strong enough will it not be submerged in the wilderness of history.

1. Alligator Gar

1) Living environment: Alligator gar mainly forages in rivers, lakes, and swamps, and occasionally in places where fresh and salt water alternate. In addition to living in fresh water, they can also survive in seawater for a short period of time. At the same time, alligator gar has strong cold and heat resistance. In a water temperature environment of -10℃~32℃, alligator gar can survive, which shows how strong the alligator gar's ability to adapt to the environment is.

2) Eating habits: Although the alligator gar has sharp teeth, its eating habits are similar to those of snakes, swallowing its prey directly into its stomach. When the size of the prey does not exceed half of the alligator gar's body length, the alligator gar will attack without hesitation, and the alligator gar can swallow food up to a quarter of its own size.

3) There are natural enemies in the native land: Although the alligator gar is a species at the top of the food chain, it has natural enemies in the native land. Although the alligator gar has thick scales to protect it, it is still difficult to escape the predation of natural enemies such as American alligators, large birds of prey and otters. At the same time, the alligator gar has the habit of killing each other, and is an extremely ferocious freshwater fish species.

▲The alligator gar is swallowing its prey

2. Fish

1) Living environment: Fish can live and move mainly in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, fish ponds, etc., and have a strong adaptability to the water environment. Fish are wide-temperature fish species, and the water temperature that best suits their growth is 16℃~30℃, so they can survive and grow in the water environment in most parts of the country.

2) Eating habits: Fish do not have teeth in their mouths, so they often eat by swallowing. Even when faced with fish that are larger than themselves, they can still easily prey on them.

3) No natural enemies in the native land: Fish grow quickly and have a relatively high demand for food. In addition, they have no natural enemies in the native land, so they can "dominate" the native waters. In addition to eating their own kind, fish mainly feed on various freshwater fish throughout their lives.

Summary: Judging from the lifestyles of fish and alligator gar, they both eat by directly "swallowing" and have the ability to attack and swallow fish that are larger than themselves. Such physiological characteristics once again establish their "dominant" status.

▲The fish caught

Fish and alligator gar performance around the world

When you want to learn more about a species, in addition to its own physiological characteristics, its global performance and contribution are all worth referring to. The same is true for fish and alligator gar. Although they have a high impact in their native waters, their performance on a global scale is still worth our attention.

1. Alligator Gar

1) The economic value of alligator gar is low: as a carnivorous fish, alligator gar is relatively large in size, but its meat is dry and tasteless, so it is not popular. In the absence of market demand, its economic value is difficult to reflect. At the same time, its fish eggs are highly toxic and cannot be eaten, and its thick scales make it extremely difficult to slaughter.

2) Alligator gar has an amazing appetite: Alligator gar is a typical "straight-bodied" animal. It can eat and defecate at the same time, and it is not a problem for it to eat dozens or even hundreds of kilograms of freshwater fish a day.

3) Alligator gar's contribution to the environment: In the 1960s, the United States and some other European countries introduced carp, grass carp, silver carp and bighead carp from Asia to control the proliferation of algae. But in the 1980s, after successfully "controlling" the problem of algae, these fish species, collectively referred to as "Asian carp" by Europeans, began to proliferate themselves. These Asian carp not only occupied the living space of local fish species, but also blocked riverbanks, causing serious damage to the local ecology.

Finally, out of desperation, these European countries had to resort to releasing alligator gar to curb the rampant growth of Asian carp, and in the end, they did achieve relatively ideal results, which shows the power of alligator gar.

▲ Alligator gar caught in China

2. Fish

1) Fish has certain economic value: Fish has strong reproductive ability and growth rate, and its meat is relatively tender and delicious, which is deeply loved by many domestic food lovers. However, due to the change of natural environment, the number of wild fish has dropped sharply, and now we have to rely on artificial breeding to cultivate fish in order to better meet market demand.

2) Fish are predatory: In order to meet the needs of their own growth, fish have to swallow a large amount of food every day. Therefore, when faced with food, they often swallow it in one bite, regardless of whether it is meat or vegetables, as long as it is within their attack range, they will swallow it.

3) Fish have not been able to go abroad: Perhaps after all countries have realized the harm of alien species, they tend to be extra cautious when introducing alien species. In addition, with the previous experience of "Asian carp", they are also more cautious when facing fish, a ferocious carnivorous fish species. As a result, fish have not been able to go abroad so far.

Summary: Due to differences in physiological structure and living habits, fish and alligator gar have different performances in economic value and self-contribution. This is also where they differ, with advantages and disadvantages coexisting.

Fish

Fish vs Alligator Gar: Which is Stronger?

In their respective habitats, fish and alligator gar are both species at the top of the food chain. Their physiological characteristics and advantages have also made them the "overlords of the water." If these two overlords face off, who will stand out?

1. From the perspective of attack capability

Alligator gar have sharp teeth that can be used to tear prey apart, and alligator gar have thick scales that can effectively protect them.

Fish have neither sharp teeth nor thick scales, but they are more flexible in water, have a more agile posture and swim faster.

If the two must fight with real guns and swords, it is hard to say who will win.

▲Alligator gar caught by foreign netizens

2. From the perspective of external value

Although the economic value of the alligator gar is relatively limited, it has effectively helped European countries curb the spread of Asian carp, which is also the value of its size.

Fish has edible value, so it has a certain market demand, and its economic value is also reflected accordingly.

3. From the scope of invasion

It is not an exaggeration to describe the alligator gar as "invading the world". Not only have invasive alligator gar been found many times in China, they can also be found in other Asian and European countries.

Due to the vigilance of various countries, the fish has never left the country and has not invaded other countries.

Summary: By comparing the abilities of fish and alligator gar, we can see that these two "dominants" are both extremely aggressive, have high value, and have strong destructive power. If they leave their native environment and invade other countries, without the suppression of natural enemies, they will often cause certain damage to the local ecological environment. Therefore, we'd better take precautions to avoid such a situation.

▲Fish caught with lure fishing

Summary of the "battle" between fish and alligator gar

Whether they are fish or alligator gar, they are all ferocious and extremely aggressive. At the same time, they have strong invasive capabilities. If they leave their native land and come to other regional environments, without the constraints of a growth environment or natural enemies, they will often break the original ecological balance of the local area and cause damage to the local ecological environment.

When faced with these two ferocious fish species, alligator gar and crocodile gar, some people are always curious and want to find out for themselves. The editor here also advises everyone that when faced with these fish species, it is best to put away your curiosity and not blindly breed or even release them, because this can easily cause a fatal blow to the local ecological environment.

For us personally, when facing some alien species, we should not easily domesticate or release them, because this can easily cause damage to our local environment. As a fisherman, I still hope that everyone can keep the big ones and release the small ones to protect our local native fish resources.

▲ Alligator gar

“The fun of fishing varies from person to person and the taste varies from person to person.