ELECTRIC CATFISH : ORGANIC ELECTRIC GENERATOR

What is an Electric Catfish? 

Electric catfish is the common name for the catfish (order Siluriformes) family Malapteruridae. This family includes two genera, Malapterurus and Paradoxoglanis with 19 species.Several species of this family have the ability to produce an electric shock of up to 350 volts using electroplaques of an electric organ. Electric catfish are found in tropical Africa and the Nile River. Electric catfish are usually nocturnal and feed primarily on other fish, incapacitating their prey with electric discharges....continue..

Electric Catfish 

A popular type of fish in modern aquariums is the electric catfish, mainly due to their dynamic natures. It is originally native to Africa with the densest populations in the Western and tropical regions, including the Nile River. It is an aggressive and carnivorous creature that will attack and consume almost any prey up to half of its own size. It lurks in rocky areas in dark freshwater, waiting for prey to happen by. It seems to prefer night hunting and is fairly still during the day...continue..


Petting an Electric Catfish 

Origins:  Electric catfish come from the Nile river basin – at least the ones we’ve always seen.  There are other species.  No one breeds them on fish farms.  They all come from the wild.  Little electric catfish look cute.  Large guys take a couple giant steps over the ugly line..continue..


Britannica Encyclopedia : Electric Catfish 

electric catfish, any of about 18 widely distributed freshwater catfish species native to tropical Africa belonging to two genera (Malapterurus and Paradoxoglanis) of the family Malapteruridae. The best known of this group is M. electricus, a thickset fish with six mouth barbels and a single fin (the adipose fin) on its back, just anterior to the rounded tail fin. It is brownish or grayish, irregularly spotted with black, and attains a length and weight of about 1.2 metres (4 feet) and 23 kilograms (51 pounds)...continue..


Electric Facts on this Electric Fish 

The simultaneous firing of electrocytes results in the electric organ discharges (EODs) which are emitted in the surrounding water. In strongly electric fishes, such as the electric eel, electric catfish, and electric rays, the electric organ is huge containing numerous electrocytes. Therefore, their discharge voltage can reach as high as 600 volts. In weakly electric fishes, which use electricity for navigation and communication, the discharge voltage is small -- often less than a volt...continue..


Fish Forum : Electric Catfish 

When observed through a microscope, the electric organ is seen to be composed of a series of disc-like modified muscle cells called electroplates, stacked in piles like coins, embedded in a jelly like substance and held together by connective tissue to form a tube. Nerve fibrils connect to one surface of each electroplate, and many blood vessels supply the jelly-like material. Although the electrical potential of each electroplate is very small, the “wiring” of the plates in series, and the columns in parallel, means that a much higher voltage can be produced...continue..