Catfish or sea wolf fish. Photo, structure and habitat

Catfish found in northern seas. This special kind sea bass . A flat head with bulging eyes and a flattened body typical of perches are the distinctive qualities of this fish. It has been an object of fishing since ancient times; it produces not only valuable meat, but also leather for the production of wallets, bags and even belts. Fish oil and oil obtained from catfish bones can also be used.

Useful and medicinal properties of catfish

Catfish meat is a source of protein. It is complete in its amino acid composition and rich in essential amino acids. Our body does not “know how” to synthesize them on its own, but they are required for the normal functioning of the immune system and muscular systems. Essential amino acids from fish are easily absorbed and quickly enter the bloodstream. Fish is the preferred food product for those people who are recovering from an inadequate diet, for example, completely devoid of animal protein. Catfish will be useful for religious people at the end of fasting, for example.

Catfish protein has a less branched structure than meat protein. It is absorbed faster and requires less “effort” to digest. Therefore, fish is recommended for children, older people and anyone whose digestion is impaired for some reason.

Catfish can be used for therapeutic nutrition in diets:

hypertensive patients, as it contains more beneficial fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6, and does not contain cholesterol;
patients with cardiovascular diseases, because the fats of this deep sea fish help cleanse blood vessels and improve blood circulation;
diabetics and obese patients, as it is low in calories and does not increase blood sugar levels;
patients with pancreatitis and cholecystitis in the non-acute period in a very limited number

Catfish meat is considered beneficial for anyone who actively exercises. It helps restore the amino acid profile after strength training and promotes anabolism.

Catfish is a source of omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fats. They help cleanse blood vessels, normalize metabolism, improve the body's oxidative abilities, and enhance the effect of all antioxidants. Healthy fats are an essential element healthy eating, and, according to some reports, good product for the prevention of cancer.

We can’t help but mention the taste and ease of preparation. More than 50 catfish dishes are known, from obviously dietary ones like steamed fish with dill and rosemary in lemon juice, to completely “harmful” ones, but delicious fish in batter or mayonnaise sauce.

Chemical composition of catfish

Catfish meat is a source of vitamins, minerals, complete protein, and unsaturated fats. But there are no carbohydrates in it at all, which makes the meat suitable for dietary nutrition.

Vitamins in catfish meat

Minerals in catfish meat

Nutritional value and calorie content catfish per 100 g raw fish

Catfish for weight loss

According to the classification of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, catfish meat has a moderate calorie content, as it contains up to 150 kcal/100 g. It can be used for replenish protein deficiency in diets for weight loss.

Eating fish helps maintain adequate muscle mass on a calorie deficit, and helps maintain the speed of metabolic processes. This is not to say that those losing weight should completely replace meat with fish, but in order to save daily calories, such replacements are sometimes useful.

Catfish is sometimes used in fisheries fasting days, when they are used all day only and . This method of reducing the average weekly calorie intake is used by those who eat moderately in everyday life, but do not want to count and write down every dish in their diet. Fish fasting days allow you to create a deficit of about 200-300 kcal per day, and can be considered an adequate method of losing weight if a person tolerates them well.

Features of use in healthy and therapeutic nutrition

Catfish goes well with side dishes of rice, cilantro, pearl barley, and vegetables. Among the spices that work best with catfish are rosemary, lemon juice, pepper, nutmeg, and the simplest white onion. Sometimes fish dishes are seasoned with cardamom and garlic flakes, as well as ground dried ginger.

Supporters of separate meals believe that you should not eat catfish with side dishes of cereals, since protein is better absorbed if consumed together with fiber from vegetables. However, this hypothesis is not supported by official scientific nutrition.

Catfish recipes

How to cook catfish steak in the oven - a simple recipe

4 catfish steaks, onion flakes, lemon pepper spice, and some lemon juice, baking foil

Rinse the steaks, leave the skin on, trim the “feathers” (fins) sharp knife. Make shallow cross-shaped cuts on both sides, season with spices, and wrap in foil. Bake at 180 degrees for 40 minutes, placing foil envelopes on a baking sheet.

How to fry catfish in a frying pan

It usually doesn’t take much time to prepare everything you need and fry the catfish in a frying pan. The oil is placed in a cast iron skillet and heated. The steaks are quickly coated in flour and salt and fried on both sides over medium heat until golden brown.

How to cook catfish in a slow cooker

For 4 steaks, take 3 or 4, 1 or 2, a little lemon pepper and dried seasoning, as well as 6 tablespoons of red Uzbek rice, 1.5 cups of vegetable broth, oil as desired

The catfish must be skinned, the bones removed (if any), the vegetables finely chopped, and fried in a multicooker bowl in the “fry” mode, if necessary. Those losing weight can save calories by skipping the frying step. Then you just need to place the fish on a vegetable bed, pour rice on top, add broth, turn on the “pilaf” or “stew” mode for 40-50 minutes. The specific cooking time depends on the multicooker model.

How to choose a product

The best place to buy fresh fish is at the fish market. Look the catfish in the eye. If they become cloudy, refuse to purchase, the fish has already been sitting for too long. Sometimes they say that steaks or frozen catfish should not be taken, but this is not entirely true. If you purchase shock-frozen fish, without a visible “coat” of snow, in a good supermarket, you can be sure that the product was stored in accordance with temperature regime, and not defrosted.

How to use the product

Daily norm catfish is calculated based on the total caloric content of the diet and the percentage of protein. For an adult, this is usually 1 or 2 servings of 150 or 250 g in finished form. The smaller option is chosen by women, and the larger option by men, women athletes or those simply naturally gifted with tall height.

Children under 14 years of age can be given catfish in quantities from 60 to 150 g. More mature - already in the adult norm.

Features of fish storage

Fresh fish should be kept on ice at points of sale and in the refrigerator at home. You can also freeze it if you can’t prepare it, but this method will contribute to the “waste” of beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Frozen catfish “lives” in freezer refrigerator up to 3 months. Fresh in the refrigerator - no more than 2 days. Prepared dishes can be placed in vacuum bags and stored for up to a week by freezing.

Harm and contraindications

In some cases, instead of being beneficial, catfish can cause harm to the body. Eating catfish is contraindicated if you are allergic to seafood and fish protein, as well as anyone who requires a diet with a reduced protein load, for example, those suffering from acute kidney disease.

Relatively pregnant women and children there is no consensus. In terms of its composition, fish is useful both during pregnancy and for children in general, but many organizations (in particular the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of the United States) do not recommend sea fish for feeding pregnant women as a potential source of lead.

Fried catfish should be considered a treat and not a health food, as frying the fish in oil potentially increases the carcinogenicity of the food. This fact has not been sufficiently proven, but research in this area does not stop.

Catfish is a healthy and tasty sea fish, a source of complete protein, healthy fats and minerals. What is your experience with this fish?

The catfish fish is a member of the family sea fish Anarhichadiae from the order Perciformes. The appearance of the fish is extremely terrifying. Reminds me of eels and moray eels. Most of the representatives are very valuable for fishermen. Despite appearance, it is very tasty.

Description of the fish

A common factor among all representatives of this species is long body large sizes. And also large front teeth. In addition to the front teeth, these fish also have back and side teeth, with the help of which they crush food. Their jaws are very powerful. Once a year, teeth are replaced with new ones. It is for its terrible protruding teeth that this species got its name.

Adult representatives of the species measure from 1 to 2 meters and can weigh up to 30 kilograms, but on average they weigh about 20 kilograms.

Types of catfish

Among this species there are several representatives of the family:

Lifestyle and nutrition

Having reached mature age, the blue catfish lives mainly on the bottom, in which it finds various shelters for itself, where it hides during the daytime. It is a very aggressive fish: when defending its home, it can attack any fish, even a representative of its own species.

IN early age A representative of this species lives mainly in the open sea. When the warm season comes, she likes to be in shallow water, and with the onset of winter she moves to the bottom.

According to ancient legends, the Far Eastern catfish likes to feed on shipwrecked sailors. But modern researchers have dispelled this myth, although it can indeed safely bite through human flesh. But these fish use their teeth mainly only to tear objects off the bottom. They can also split various shells with them.

They mainly use small inhabitants of the seas as food, such as jellyfish, crayfish, mollusks and other fish. When catfish change their teeth, they switch to softer food, but then return to the old food.

Reproduction

Based on research results, scientists have found that catfish are monogamous, breeding with only one partner throughout their lives. Fish reach sexual maturity at the age four years, although females take slightly longer to reach maturity than males.

During spawning, the female lays about 30 thousand eggs at a time, which are about 7 millimeters in size. The female lays larvae mainly on the bottom between stones. After spawning, both parents protect their future offspring.

Young catfish are born early spring and at birth measure up to 20 millimeters in length. After birth, the larvae immediately swim as close to the surface as possible, where they look for food.

As soon as the larvae grow to a size of 6 centimeters, they begin to sink to the bottom and already lead a lifestyle familiar to representatives of their species.

Meaning for humans

Catfish fish is very tasty and, in addition, healthy for people. But catching this fish is quite difficult. It is because of this that people often hold competitions in catching it. To catch it, various tricks were invented, for example: they search for catfish using special underwater binoculars between the algae; for fishing they use very strong fishing rods with elongated hooks. Clam shells are used as bait.

The white meat of catfish is the most delicious part of the fish. It is very tender and fatty, has a slightly sweet taste, and most importantly, there is not a single bone in it. Many different recipes have been invented to prepare this fish.

Useful properties of fish

Eating this fish is very useful for people who have thyroid disorders, since its meat contains large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Doctors also recommend using it for those who have heart problems. Catfish meat helps remove cholesterol from the body and also strengthens the muscle tissue of the human body. IN folk medicine catfish is used during rehabilitation period. By eating this fish, a person will be able to establish all metabolic processes occurring in the body, as well as normalize the water-salt balance and strengthen bones.

Harmful properties

Eating this fish is contraindicated for people susceptible to various allergies, since catfish is an extremely strong allergen. It is also not recommended to give fish to small children.

Scientists have proven that it is extremely contraindicated for pregnant women to consume catfish meat, as it has a negative effect on the child.

Interesting facts:

catfish lifespan is on average twelve years old, but there have been cases when twenty-year-old representatives of this species were encountered.
the skin of this fish actively used for making shoes, handbags and book bindings.

The blue catfish belongs to the family Catfish and the order Perciformes.

Names of blue catfish

Blue sea-eat (English); AVasserkatze (German); blaasteinbit, hakjerring steinbit (Norwegian). For external resemblance The shape of the blue catfish's head with a cat's face was nicknamed "sea cat" by English fishermen. The nickname widow appeared among the Pomors who fished in the Barents Sea, where only immature females are found, hence the name of the blue catfish - widow.

External signs of blue catfish

This fish is not called catfish by chance. She has fairly large teeth, which are located on the vomer and palate, which allows her to bite through the shells of crabs and mollusk shells without any problems.

Such an impressive dental apparatus is replaced every year, although the teeth practically do not wear down. During the period when the water in the catfish habitat becomes cold, all the old teeth fall out, and new ones grow on the still soft bases. At this time, catfish grab food without a chitinous hard shell, or do not feed at all. After a month and a half, the bases ossify, and in their bases the embryos of teeth appear again, which grow inside the bases that have merged with each other, gradually destroying the dental apparatus until a new change occurs.

The maximum dimensions of the blue catfish are 1.4 m – 1.8 m, and the weight reaches 32 kg. The fish is colored a dark gray-blue interspersed with fuzzy spots.

Sometimes you come across dark chocolate-colored specimens. The body of the fish is elongated, covered with small scales, with a massive head and a rounded front end. The head and tail have a laterally compressed shape. The length of the caudal fin is less than a tenth of the length of the body without the head and caudal fin. Pointed teeth; the palatal rows of teeth extend further back than the vomer teeth; the tuberculate teeth are poorly developed. In long dorsal fin usually have 76 - 81 soft rays. The caudal fin is rounded. Pectoral fins small, rounded, pelvic fins absent. The jaw of the blue catfish is shortened, and fangs protrude from the mouth.

Distribution of blue catfish

The blue catfish fish lives mainly in the northern waters Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. This type of fish can be found in the White, Barents, North, Norwegian, and Baltic seas. Blue catfish appear off the coast of Labrador, Newfoundland, Spitsbergen, Scotland, Greenland, Iceland, and near Novaya Zemlya. A dead blue catfish was found on the shores of Prince Patrick Island, located far west of famous places habitat of Atlantic catfish.

Blue Catfish Habitats

Blue catfish are found in cold seas, preferring to swim underwater at a depth of 100 to 1700 meters at water temperatures above 0°C; selects silty soils.

Blue catfish feeding

Blue catfish - sea predator. It feeds on ctenophores, jellyfish, brittle stars, echinoderms, crustaceans and fish. Catfish extract mollusks, crustaceans and echinoderms using fangs, lifting prey from the seabed. During the change of teeth, the blue catfish swallows food whole, preferring fish and jellyfish.

Peculiarities of blue catfish reproduction

Blue catfish reach sexual maturity at the age of five years, and spawning occurs in early April and lasts until the end of October. Information on the spawning of blue catfish is rather scarce; it is known that fertility in sea catfish— 25-28.4 thousand eggs. They are bottom-dwelling, the diameter of mature eggs is 0.7-0.8 cm, and are hatched in spring, summer or autumn. A male blue catfish guards the laid eggs from predators.

No one has yet found a clutch of blue catfish eggs. Only 2 specimens of juvenile catfish are known, caught in May over the mainland break between Bear Island and the Lofoten Islands. The transition of young individuals to a bottom lifestyle is very protracted: blue catfish usually appear in trawl catches having reached a length of 60-70 cm. Blue catfish live for about 14 years.

Features of behavior of blue catfish

The blue catfish lives up to its name. When you first look at a sea fish, you immediately notice the developed fangs. They are not at all harmless for a person who wants to look at the caught fish. When pulled onto land, a catfish can bite a curious and careless fisherman. She is capable of biting through a boot with a powerful dental apparatus, in addition to injuring the body. Blue catfish are not tied to one place; they move throughout a large area of water.

The muscles of sea fish contain a lot of vitamin A, perhaps this is due to their rapid growth. In the process of development of sea catfish, the following pattern is observed: the greater the depth at which Atlantic catfish prefer to stay, the faster they grow.

Commercial value of blue catfish

Blue catfish for a long time was not considered commercial fish. The meat of sea fish was not prepared; it was thrown overboard the ship or cut into pieces for bait when fishing for halibut. Its muscle structure is not as dense as that of the spotted catfish, and at the same time it is more watery, even somewhat jelly-like. But, nevertheless, in lately gourmets recognized it as quite suitable for consumption.

Many people know about the value of sea fish, but choosing the right one from the many varieties is very difficult. Catfish is one of those fish that is worth paying attention to. It is distinguished by fatty and tender meat, it is not difficult to find it on the shelves, and it is also easy to prepare. However, it also has its drawbacks, so before you confidently include it in your diet, you need to carefully understand the benefits and harms of catfish.

Catfish or “sea wolf” - predatory fish from the order Perciformes. She prefers to live in the cold waters of the seas northern hemisphere. Feeds on: fish, mollusks, echinoderms and jellyfish. The catfish looks quite intimidating, and it is difficult to confuse it with some other species: it has a large, long body, in some cases reaching a length of 100-240 cm, powerful jaws and large teeth, thanks to which it can destroy mollusk shells.

However, despite its terrifying appearance, this fish is quite valuable in terms of fishing. Due to the fact that many types of catfish are deep-sea, their meat is considered environmentally friendly. Despite the high amount of proteins and fats, it is dietary.

The benefits and harms of fish

Calorie content and rich composition are the main criteria by which it is worth assessing the benefits and harms of fish.

Catfish is no exception, and its value is closely related to such components. Thanks to this, you can easily determine whether it is worth including it in your diet or whether it is better to replace it with a more suitable fish.

Positive properties

Catfish can be safely called one of the most valuable fish, sea or river, appearing on the shelves of our stores. It contains vitamins B, A, C, D, E, PP; Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids; lysic, pantenonic, nicotinic, aspartic, glutamic acid; many microelements: phosphorus, magnesium, iodine, iron, sulfur, cobalt, zinc, etc. This is the reason for its many beneficial properties:

Contraindications for use

As you can see, large number beneficial microelements are strong point catfish. The benefits and harms to the body must always be considered in combination, and, unfortunately, this fish also has its own list of contraindications that must be kept in mind:

to his unusual appearance this fish has managed to earn extraordinary fame for itself and even make its mark in popular culture: for example, in the famous online game World of Warcraft you can find the lava catfish. In reality, of course, such a thing does not exist, but You can find several equally remarkable varieties:

Cooking methods

They can eat almost any kind of catfish: boiled, stewed, fried, baked or smoked. They make fish pies, salads and casseroles with it. Of course, a lot also depends on the type of catfish, but in general it is prepared in the same way as any other fish.

Catfish is a family of marine fish of the Anarhichadiae order of perciformes that live in northern waters Atlantic and Pacific oceans, where the water temperature does not rise above 14 degrees. Off the coast North America, from California to Alaska, eel catfish are found; in the northwestern part Pacific Ocean Far Eastern catfish is widespread; blue catfish(or "widowmaker") can be found in the North Atlantic Ocean; Striped catfish are caught in the Barents and White Seas, off the coast of England and Ireland (rarely in the Gulf of Finland).

This fish got its name not by chance - because of its strong, strongly developed jaw with sharp, inwardly curved teeth and protruding fangs, like those of a wolf (by the way, in France, catfish is called “sea wolf”).

Characteristic shape The jaws and teeth of this fish are the result of the natural adaptation of the catfish to its favorite food: sea urchins, bivalves, snails and crabs.

Striped catfish (Anarhichas lupus) lives on a rocky bottom covered with algae and swims very close to the shore during spawning. Spawning occurs from November to February at a depth of 40 to 200 m, at the beginning of the period - at northern regions, and at the end - in the southern ones.

Spotted catfish (Anarhichas minor) lives in Arctic waters.

The fishing grounds for catfish are the Barents Sea and the banks of Northern Norway. Extensive research is currently underway on artificial breeding catfish. Spotted catfish are more common in northern waters.

Handbags, wallets and belts are made from the dense skin of catfish with very small, as if recessed scales.

It is best to cook catfish by steaming or grilling, and if frying, then in batter or after boiling it in very salty water - otherwise the pieces of fish will literally “spread” over the frying pan. Hot or cold smoked catfish is a great appetizer.

Calorie content of catfish

The calorie content of raw Atlantic catfish is 96 kcal per 100 g of product. It is quite nutritious due to its high protein content. Boiled catfish contains 114 kcal per 100 g, and baked catfish contains 137 kcal. You should not overuse fried catfish, 100 g of which contains 209 kcal, as this can lead to extra pounds.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Useful properties of catfish

Catfish meat is very tasty: tender, slightly sweet, almost boneless and very fatty. It is usually sold without the skin and head. The nutritional value of catfish is very high.

Its meat contains vitamins, B12, PP, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Nicotinic and pantothenic acids and pyridoxine. Catfish contains amino acids - aspartic, glutamic, lysine and many others. Fish meat is much easier to digest and contains essential minerals and trace elements such as sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, sulfur, phosphorus, iodine, iron, copper, manganese, fluorine, as well as cholesterol. Include fish in your menu, you won’t need to buy expensive vitamins, here is a complete composition of everything we need to ensure the vital functions of our bodies.

You can cook catfish with potatoes. To do this, you need to cut the frozen catfish fillet into slices and place it in a frying pan, pre-greased with oil, place a layer of potatoes on top of the fish, cut into two-centimeter cubes, add salt and pepper, place a layer on top onions, cut into cubes, then again a layer of potatoes and again salt and pepper. Spread mayonnaise on top and sprinkle with grated cheese. The dish is baked in the oven at a temperature of two hundred degrees for about half an hour. Fresh ones are perfect as a side dish here.