The noise of a banjo-catfish

[fischkringli]

I read, that Banjo-cats could produce kind of noise.
Im interrested in catfish noises and I ask: How does that noise sounds like? When do Banjo-cats make this noises?
Thanks for all replies!!!

[Birger]

scroll down here http://www.cumv.cornell.edu/staff/friel.html

[sidguppy]

the interesting thing is that catfishes can make different sounds as well; as in 1 catfish
the examples shown in the link are stridulation; this is most often heard when netting or handling the fish

however, especially dordids and auchenipterids can and do call when hidden in the tank and those sounds are different

they can stridulate, but they can also emit sounds without moving their pectoral fins at all....

it's very different! doradids for example make sqeaking or quacking sounds when stridulating, but they make drumming or buzzing sounds when under water calling to each other.

auchenipterids have a whole range of sounds; at night a tank full of them can get quite noisy when they all squack, burp, growl or buzz to each other.

the banjo cat has a very low sound under water and it uses this without moving a pectoral at all.....it can be felt!
I've often softly touched a banjo when placing it somewhere else or thinking it was just wood, and you can 'feel' a very soft buzz with your fingertips, but it's not audible at all.
subsonic? like elephants use, but low key?

low frequency sounds have the advantage that they can travel longer distances.
for such a small creature as the banjo cat this could be a very effective means of communication, since banjo's are spread out and they're not exactly equipped with good eyesight or agile swimming manners to seek each other out.

another theory of mine is that with all those vocalizing catfish in the dark waters of the Amazon it looks like every species has another bandwidth to avoid getting on anothers frequency.

[fischkringli]

Birger wrote:

scroll down here http://www.cumv.cornell.edu/staff/friel.html

Thanks for the link. The noise is more scratching than croaking.

Also thanks to sidguppy. This post is interresting. Perhaps, there is an open scientific field.

[apistomaster]

Hi sidguppy,
Very interesting and plausible ideas you expressed. Makes a lot of sense to me. A lot like the SA Knifefish use weak electrical signals.

I have encountered buried Banjo Cats and their vibrato was almost like an unexpected low voltage sensation although I realized it was vibration not electricity. Banjo cats are the best bargain oddball fish there is in my book.
I wish we could learn how to get them to spawn in captivity. I have received some very small banjo cats and I can only imagine how cool even smaller specimens would be if we could breed them. I guess there have been a very few accidental spawns but as of yet there isn't any "recipe" for success.

[fischkringli]

Perhaps the croaking-comunication plays a roll for finding a partner for spawning?