Waller albino - Silurus glanis

The scaleless catfish (Siluris glanis) grows well over 150 centimeters long and weighs up to 300 kilograms. Also called European cat fish or true catfish, it is one of the largest freshwater fish in Europe. The catfish belongs to the family of the true catfish (Siluridae) and lives in the wild mainly in larger rivers such as the Rhine, the Elbe and the Doubs and in lakes. The adaptable and robust catfish can even be found in the brackish waters of the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. The catfish can be recognized by its six characteristic whiskers and its long, laterally flattened shape. Catfish are dark gray to black, but there are also albinos. Catfish are popular and sought after food fish.

In the wild, the nocturnal Waller live mainly in stagnant to slow-flowing waters with somewhat higher water temperatures . In general, the Waller is a fish that can cope even in organically polluted waters and has no problems even with lower oxygen levels. Even an oxygen concentration of 3 mg/l they can cope well thanks to the high hemoglobin content in their blood.

According to their size, the nocturnal catfish are only suitable for extremely large ponds over 100,000 liters or even better as stocking for lakes. True catfish are solitary animals in their old age and like to rest in heavily weedy areas of the pond. Young catfish, on the other hand, travel in groups. Good planting is mandatory in a catfish pond.

True catfish are bottom-oriented and nocturnal. Catfish are powerful predators with an insatiable appetite. Catfish are nearly blind and find their prey by smell and taste. Large specimens prey on rudd, tench and carp, goldfish, koi and anything else that will fit in their large, wide mouths. Even carrion of birds and amphibians is eaten. Smaller catfish also eat insects, juvenile fish, small and larger crayfish, other invertebrates and worms.

When water temperatures rise to 17-20 °C in spring, the catfish mating season begins. The male European catfish digs a spawning pit near the shore with powerful tail strokes. The courtship of catfish takes place mainly in the evening, it is a real spectacle. The male drives the female across the water and even to the surface to show the spawning pit to his beloved. When mating, the male wraps his arms around the female, who falls into spawning rigidity. In doing so, she drops the spawn into the nest. The female lays up to 25,000 eggs per kilo of live weight. The eggs have a natural protection against fungus.

The young catfish hatch about 3 days later, depending on the temperature, and retreat to dark areas. Young catfish grow quickly and go to the fry of other fish as early as 2.5 centimeters and also to their own conspecifics of appropriate size. At about four years, young European catfish are already 2 kilos and can reproduce.