Cat Fish - Cylindrical Body, Soft-rayed Fins With Sharp Spines , Distinctive Barbels And Color Variation

Like all catfishes, Mystus aor has a body that is cylindrical in cross-section, and lacks scales. Fins are soft-rayed except for the dorsal and pectoral fins which have sharp, hard spines that can inflict a nasty, painful wound if a catfish is handled carelessly. An adipose fin (lacking rays) is located on the back between the dorsal and caudal fins. One conspicuous characteristic of all catfish is the presence of barbels around the mouth. The barbels are arranged in a definite pattern with four under the jaw and one on each tip of the maxilla (upper jaw). Their color, to a large extent, is dictated by the color of the water they inhabit. In clear water they may appear almost black, while in muddy water they may be a light yellow. Young catfish are irregularly spotted on their sides, but the spots tend to disappear in the adults.