Electric Eel vs Wels Catfish

Electrophorus electricus verglichen mit Silurus glanis

Taxonomy & Classification

Eigenschaft	Electric Eel	Wels Catfish
Wissenschaftlicher Name	Electrophorus electricus	Silurus glanis
Ordnung	Gymnotiformes	Siluriformes
Familie	Gymnotidae	Ictaluridae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Eigenschaft	Electric Eel	Wels Catfish
Maximale Länge	250,0 cm	500,0 cm
Maximales Gewicht	20,0 kg	300,0 kg
Färbung	Dark olive-gray to grayish-brown cylinder-shaped body with a pale yellowish-orange throat and chin; back uniformly dark; scaleless skin has a smooth appearance; long ribbon-like anal fin is pinkish.	Dark olive-green to slate-gray back with irregular mottled marbling of darker blotches; flanks grade to olive-yellow; scaleless smooth skin; belly pale cream to yellowish-white; head broad and flat.

Habitat & Environment

Eigenschaft	Electric Eel	Wels Catfish
Wassertyp	Freshwater	Brackish
Tiefenbereich	—	0-30m
Verbreitungsgebiet	Native to the Orinoco and Amazon river basins in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil. Inhabits murky, oxygen-depleted floodplain pools, swamps, and slow-moving streams in lowland …	Native to large river systems and lakes of central and eastern Europe from the Rhine basin east to the Caspian and Aral sea drainages. Introduced …
Lebensraum	Estuaries	Large rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across Europe and Asia (Volga, Danube, Rhine, Ob). Inhabits deep, slow-moving freshwater with soft substrates. Tolerates turbid water (15-25°C). Highly …

Angelinformationen

Eigenschaft	Electric Eel	Wels Catfish
Sportfisch	Nein	Ja
Kampfbewertung	—	9/10
Weltrekord	—	—
Quecksilbergehalt	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Electric Eel

Not consumed — an ornamental and scientific novelty species kept in specialized aquarium exhibits; edible in principle but extremely dangerous to handle due to powerful electric discharge.

Wels Catfish

Fatty, soft flesh with a mild, slightly sweet flavor; quality improves from cold, clean water fish. Popular in Central European cuisines — commonly smoked, fried, or braised with vegetables.

Species Overview

Electric Eel

Despite its name, the electric eel is not a true eel but a knifefish. It can generate electrical discharges of up to 860 volts to stun prey and defend itself. About 80% of its body is dedicated to three electric organs.

Wels Catfish

The wels catfish is the largest freshwater fish in Europe, capable of exceeding 5 meters. Found in large rivers and lakes across the continent, it has been documented beaching itself to catch pigeons. It can live over 80 years.