We think we know everything around us and we think we know what is hiding outside our surroundings, but we are wrong: Nature can surprise us, and it does it in the most unimaginable ways and forms. A professional fisherman from the Netherlands, Martin Glatz, was on a boat. He has seen a lot of catfish in his life, but none have ever been compared to the one he saw that day. According to Martin’s account, a huge catfish came out of the water and “landed” on his boat. He had never seen such a fish before and did not know what to do or how to act.
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image credit: Martin Glatz Facebook
It may not be a catfish but another species: a catfish glean . These fish, native to lakes and rivers in Europe, resemble catfish but are much larger – they can reach 2.7 meters in length and weigh up to 130 kg, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ). Considering the size of the fish Martin found, it is very likely that it is this species. But what surprised the fisherman was the color of this host: it is bright yellow, while most catfish or gleaned catfish are black or dark green, with speckled yellow spots. The fish Martin found probably had leucism:
It is indeed not uncommon to find animals – whether mammals, reptiles, birds or fish – affected by leucism: we have observed over time surprising cases, such as penguins or yellow killer whales. While it is fascinating for us to observe brightly colored and bizarre animals, for the animals in question it can be a great disadvantage to possess this genetic physical characteristic: the bright color makes them more visible and therefore more exposed to predators, which makes them easier targets . After taking a few photos with this rare and fascinating fish, Martin put it back in the water in the hope that it might surprise other fishermen.
source used: dailynationtoday