Catfish, Vulture

The Vulture Catfish is a predatory and scavenging catfish species from South America which is found in the Orinoco and Amazon basins.
The Vulture Catfish is a highly adaptable species which is commonly found in shallow waters of the Amazon near human populated areas where it scavenges food amongst human offal.
This Catfish species has an elongated body covered in a spotted coloration and a broad head with large eyes, as with many catfish the Vulture Catfish has maxillary barbels which it uses to actively seek out prey items in the murky waters it inhabits.
The Vulture Catfish is true scavenger in addition to being a vicious predator which in its native waters is renowned for attacking wounded fish or fish that are hooked or netted. This ability has given the name bagre matchete (machete catfish) in Venezuela and Colombia. They are so vicious in their attacks that they sometimes stay attached even when their prey is removed from the water.
Vulture Catfish have now been imported into Palm Tree Lagoon and several other of Thailand’s fishing lakes and ponds offering anglers the chance to now fish for them in Thailand.