2012-11-18 08:32 Catfish and mini mud geisser

Weather : Overcast / NW wind 3 bft / Rain 0.0 mm / 1014.9 hpa

Divers : Remko, Stans, Axel
Goal : Visibility, Catfish
Max depth : 20.0 mtrs
Duration : 64 minutes
Air temp : 6.0 celsius
Water temp : 9,6 celsius minimum
Fish: > 5-10 eals resting at bottom. 1 catfish, some shrimp at depth
Visibility : 6,5 meters at 3 meter depth 
               7 meter at 6 meter depth and approx 3 mtr at 19 mtr depth.

Remarks: > 10 divers in water. No thermocline. From 0-20 mtr. 
After about 27 minutes we finally found what we came to see. First I found a piece of eal of about 3-4 cm thick. I know that Catfish also eat eal, but I never expected the Catfish to actually bite off chunks. 
Within a radius of about 3 meters I spotted the tail and when I approached it, it turned around and swam underneath me. We followed it for about 40 seconds and left it alone again when it turned around.
When it swam clouds of mud washed off it’s skin so by the looks of it it too embedds itself in the bottom sediment.
Futher at 15 meter depth there were more clouds of dust. We came across a tiny sediment geisser from the bottom. My guess an eal embedded itself in the sediment, but I’m not sure.

Photo and video footage of the catfish and sediment geisser can be seen on this page where you can see two movies.

Please treat this beautifull Catfish with respect !!!