Survival strategies of sharptooth catfish <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> in desiccating pans in the northern Kruger National Park
Observations in drying out pans showed that small (26-37 cm) sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) can hide at the bottom of small pools filled with sticky mud whereas larger fish stay afloat at the surface in larger pools with sloppy mud, where they easily become prey or succumb to heat stress. T...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
1998-08-01
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| Series: | Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/258 |
| _version_ | 1811270218052272128 |
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| author | B.C.W. Van der Waal |
| author_facet | B.C.W. Van der Waal |
| author_sort | B.C.W. Van der Waal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Observations in drying out pans showed that small (26-37 cm) sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) can hide at the bottom of small pools filled with sticky mud whereas larger fish stay afloat at the surface in larger pools with sloppy mud, where they easily become prey or succumb to heat stress. The inability of larger fish to keep down in the sloppy mud of up to 40 cm depth is the result of their large bulk and high density of the mud. This may indicate a survival advantage for smaller fish in the final dry-out phase of pools and is supported by the presence of only small fish remains in the last drying up pools of dry pans. Another adaptation of smaller fish includes the temporary congregation outside the water enabling concealment under dense vegetation as a means to escape adverse environmental conditions, including high water temperatures and avian predation. The advantage small fish have over larger catfish under these extreme conditions may explain why catfish are known to show a wide variation in growth rate under natural and aquaculture conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:56:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0a89a777d91542ad8c70db10de410614 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0075-6458 2071-0771 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:56:55Z |
| publishDate | 1998-08-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-0a89a777d91542ad8c70db10de4106142022-12-22T03:15:16ZengAOSISKoedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science0075-64582071-07711998-08-0141213113810.4102/koedoe.v41i2.258210Survival strategies of sharptooth catfish <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> in desiccating pans in the northern Kruger National ParkB.C.W. Van der Waal0University of VendaObservations in drying out pans showed that small (26-37 cm) sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) can hide at the bottom of small pools filled with sticky mud whereas larger fish stay afloat at the surface in larger pools with sloppy mud, where they easily become prey or succumb to heat stress. The inability of larger fish to keep down in the sloppy mud of up to 40 cm depth is the result of their large bulk and high density of the mud. This may indicate a survival advantage for smaller fish in the final dry-out phase of pools and is supported by the presence of only small fish remains in the last drying up pools of dry pans. Another adaptation of smaller fish includes the temporary congregation outside the water enabling concealment under dense vegetation as a means to escape adverse environmental conditions, including high water temperatures and avian predation. The advantage small fish have over larger catfish under these extreme conditions may explain why catfish are known to show a wide variation in growth rate under natural and aquaculture conditions.https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/258catfish, Clarias gariepinus, desiccation, survival strategies |
| spellingShingle | B.C.W. Van der Waal Survival strategies of sharptooth catfish <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> in desiccating pans in the northern Kruger National Park Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science catfish, Clarias gariepinus, desiccation, survival strategies |
| title | Survival strategies of sharptooth catfish <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> in desiccating pans in the northern Kruger National Park |
| title_full | Survival strategies of sharptooth catfish <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> in desiccating pans in the northern Kruger National Park |
| title_fullStr | Survival strategies of sharptooth catfish <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> in desiccating pans in the northern Kruger National Park |
| title_full_unstemmed | Survival strategies of sharptooth catfish <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> in desiccating pans in the northern Kruger National Park |
| title_short | Survival strategies of sharptooth catfish <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> in desiccating pans in the northern Kruger National Park |
| title_sort | survival strategies of sharptooth catfish i clarias gariepinus i in desiccating pans in the northern kruger national park |
| topic | catfish, Clarias gariepinus, desiccation, survival strategies |
| url | https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/258 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bcwvanderwaal survivalstrategiesofsharptoothcatfishiclariasgariepinusiindesiccatingpansinthenorthernkrugernationalpark |