Orenburg state university

Lucky Catfish

Unusual student — unique catfish Semyon was "admitted" to Orenburg State University.

This water inhabitant came in our city literally by a miracle. It was caught in the summer season in Sakmara River near the Central Heating and Power Plant. The fish was very prickly and uncommon for our reservoirs. Fishermen decided that it could be dangerous and reported to the Fishery Supervision immediately. The Fishery Supervision staff found out that it is not predatory fish and handed it to Orenburg State University. OSU "Water bioresources and aquaculture" students quickly determined that it is armored catfish. Such fish live in Amazon, South America, but in Russia they live only in aquariums. It remains a mystery how the catfish came in Sakmara. Te lecturers suggested that some local aquarists released the fish into the river. Probably catfish spent in Sakmara about three months. Scientists don't exclude that fish could overwinter in the river because waste water temperature is much warmer than the river water.

Now catfish lives sated and happy life. OSU lecturers and students of Applied Biology and Engineering Faculty look after him.