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Somebody once told me that a full-grown wels, when its stomach contents were examined, was found to have swallowed a wild boar. I presume the boar either went for a swim or accidentally fell in the river.
Does anyone know if this is an urban myth, or the truth?

Nope, these are myths (probably to scare the daylights out of people going for a dip). The largest animals found to have been eaten by wels are water voles (even this needs to be substantiated), and I highly doubt that they are capable of attacking and eating swimming dogs (as some stories would have them, unless the dogs are chihuahuas .
Similar horror stories abound for <i>Wallago</i>, which is the Asian version of the wels.

There seems to be hoever, a documented case about a really huge Wels caught in the Donau, that had the remains of a small (4-6 year old) child in his stomach!

Was it in the Burgess Atlas that I read of (probably apocryphal) reports that SA red tails also swallow whole children?

I'm still puzzling over the coincidence of "Siluris" and "wels" both seemingly referring to Wales! "Wels" is probably a Teutonic word that just sounds like "welsh".

Dinyar

Most of the reports of large catfish swallowing children/large mammals have an even smaller factual basis than those of candirus entering human orifices.
Presumably, some of these reports might be based on these large catfishes swallowing carcasses of drowned animals.

Hey Guys,
I actually did some research on this type of thing when I was writing a piece on the world's largest catfish spp. for TFH (where the article is I do not have a clue). I have never heard of any big pims eating people. The "myth" down here is stories about them eating monkeys. I say "myth" as I am not sure it is true or not. I do see how a photo of a partially digested monkey however could be sold as "proof" that they eat kids. I did find a documented case of a wels killing a kid who was fishing from a boat in Eastern Europe. A wels bit his hook, dragged the kid from the boat (the line was tied to his wrist) and drowned the poor kid.
-Shane

@shane just to get that right ive never seen monkeys here...;)

the common name for the Wels(Silurus glanis) here is Waller as Wels=catfish and sums up the siluriformes.

Whats the biggest it can get? I read of 4 meters...

As far as I can ascertain, the largest size on record for <i>Silurus glanis</i> is 4.9 meters (the fish weighed about 300 kilograms).

Hi,

the supposably biggest Waller ever was caught 1761 in the Oder at Wriesen and is said to have had 375kg (without viscera).
(According to Mhihálik, J. "Der Wels", neue Brehm Bücherei).
I think the Wels Heok Hee mentioned was caught in the Dnepr at Krementschug (5m, 300kg) (Silurus soldatovi ?).
Reminds me to take a look how big mine has grown(lives is a 16mx10mx~2m pond). I think my parents would disinherit me if their little dog disappears one day ;)

Greetings... Achim

Caol_ila wrote:@shane just to get that right ive never seen monkeys here...;)

Apart from Island Monkeys I guess?....

Silurus wrote:Similar horror stories abound for <i>Wallago</i>, which is the Asian version of the wels.

What is the difference between Wallago and Silurus? Their body shape looks so similar.