Is Catfish the Dirtiest Fish? The Truth Behind Rumors About Eating Feces and Harmful Substances

Catfish is a common food ingredient in daily life, but some people say catfish is the dirtiest fish and even eats feces, and that eating too much catfish is unhealthy. So is catfish really the dirtiest fish? Is it true that it eats feces? Does it contain harmful substances?

1. Is it true that catfish eat feces?

In fact, it is true that catfish eat feces, but animal feces itself is a non-toxic and cheap natural fertilizer, and feces provides a large amount of nutrients for plankton in the water. Fish farmers may even deliberately feed fish with pig manure and chicken manure as feed.

Aquaculture does not directly dump animal feces into fish ponds. Generally, animal feces contains a large number of pathogenic bacteria and parasites. If it is directly poured into a pond, it will affect the safety and health of the fish. Therefore, before it is added, it is properly fermented. This not only eliminates the harmful substances in it, but also breaks down the large-molecule proteins in the feces into small-molecule proteins that are easier to use, improving the utilization effect.

Standard farms also do not allow garbage and fertilized water to be directly poured into the water, as this would affect the health of the fish and reduce fish yields, which would be a loss for farmers. Animal feces is properly fermented before use, so it is not only catfish that eat feces; other fish also eat feces.

2. Is catfish the dirtiest fish?

Catfish may live in relatively dirty environments, but this does not mean catfish are very dirty. If water quality is poor, it will also affect the normal reproduction and healthy growth of catfish, and harmful substances in the water may even cause fish poisoning and death. When catfish live in relatively dirty water environments, by comparison, catfish are somewhat more resistant to certain harmful substances (such as the heavy metal cadmium). Online claims that “catfish are the dirtiest fish” cannot be fully believed.

3. Do catfish contain harmful substances?

Catfish are omnivorous animals. Small fish and shrimp are within the prey range of catfish, so they are relatively high in the food chain. However, all large carnivorous animals contain some harmful substances; this is an inevitable result of the food chain. But the impact of these harmful substances on the human body is almost very small. In standard farms, normally raised catfish do not have pollution problems such as excessive heavy metals, so they can be eaten with complete confidence.

4. Do catfish grow fast because they are given hormones?

Catfish are omnivorous animals with a short growth cycle. In some areas of the south where water temperatures are high, some catfish are raised for about 4 months before being sold on the market. This is not because of hormones, but because of the characteristics of catfish themselves. Moreover, the state's monitoring and restrictions on aquatic feed are very strict, so it is almost impossible for hormones to be added.

5. How should catfish be selected?

1. When buying catfish, pay attention to its color and mucus. The mucus on the surface of catfish also has a certain protective effect for the fish itself. When the mucus is transparent or semi-transparent, it proves that the fish meat is relatively fresh and healthy; if the mucus has turned white or even has a rotten smell, then it proves that the fish meat may have harmful substances such as bacteria growing in it, so do not buy it.

2. Choose fish with a complete body that are fresh and alive. After buying them and taking them home, it is recommended to first keep them in clean water for a few days so they can properly discharge some impurities and other substances.