Elandspad Weir pool Sharptooth Catfish

[Ryan Weaver]

They aren't called mermaids for nothing...

You just totally messed up my mermaid fantasy!!

[E.T.]

Hi Korrie,

My Oupa used to braai for us barbel from the crocodile.I grey up in the Koedoeskop area and eating babers wasn't weird,odd,bad. Chicken alla king!

Someone I know caught Barbel close to Harties, took it home cleaned it and cooked it and placed it on a bed of pasta for the people coming over for Poker. They all had their guesses but no one could get it right. They thought it was a Saltwater fish. When he said its a freshwater fish, one guy got it spot on. Now by this time the plate was cleaned up and the one girl made herself throw up, because how can you eat a Barbel?

Guess what? Order Salmon from a restaurant and you won't even know they are serving you a mermaid....

[markdej]

Only when the ground is damp according to http://www.south-african-game-reserv...ish/barbel.htm

and here's another source:

http://www.ecotravel.co.za/african-w...gariepinus.htm

My boet used to breed barbel, and I have personally seen barbel work their way out of a concrete holding dam and vuka their way 350m over a dry lawn at night and still be alive and kicking the next morning. So im not too sure if it was just the dew on the grass that facilitated this but it was hardly a marsh. To be fair though even if this is entirely the case all it requires is some rainfall for the ground to be damp.

[KB280DT]

Wikipedia states "dry" ground only - no mention of damp ground or dew strewn grass.

I agree with Buzz though - Mr. Whiskers probably has been dumped into the weir by someone, unless Ryan can find some more catfish in the other pools

[Andre]

Wikipedia states "dry" ground only - no mention of damp ground or dew strewn grass.

I agree with Buzz though - Mr. Whiskers probably has been dumped into the weir by someone, unless Ryan can find some more catfish in the other pools

he swam up from the Breede, which has plenty, and the Smallblaar is a trib of the Breede, and the Elandspad is a trib of the smalblaar, so this is logical, so what makes you believe he was dumped there? I suppose it's impossible for fish to get into the tribs of rivers that they inhabit, or am I misinformed?

[KB280DT]

Andre, I have never seen these rivers close up - apart from driving by them. So I am merely speculating. I would however believe you if you say that it's possible for them to swim up from the Breede, seeing as you have an infinite amount more knowledge of these particular rivers than me

[Gerrit Viljoen]

he swam up from the Breede, which has plenty, and the Smallblaar is a trib of the Breede, and the Elandspad is a trib of the smalblaar, so this is logical, so what makes you believe he was dumped there? I suppose it's impossible for fish to get into the tribs of rivers that they inhabit, or am I misinformed?

So what's next to invade? Bull Shark?

[Andre]

Andre, I have never seen these rivers close up - apart from driving by them. So I am merely speculating. I would however believe you if you say that it's possible for them to swim up from the Breede, seeing as you have an infinite amount more knowledge of these particular rivers than me

No, I wouldn't say I have infinite more knowledge, unless you are being sarcastic, but it's purely logical, with no funny business from anyone. The river where the barbel was seen, is connected to the Breede, which is barbel heaven, so why isn't it perfectly logical for them to swim up the tribs? After all, trout, bass, yellowfish, and a whole lot of other fish do it, but a fish that can basically walk accross land, can't, so I'm confused?

[Mike Taylor]

I've seen the damage these bggrs can do to a river. (See a previous thread on the barbel invasion) I say catch him and all his family. Kill them! Then clone them and kill all their clones. Don't even give them the honour of eating them. Leave them to the crabs and birds.

Like the Riviersonderend, the Smalblaar flows into the Breede, which, as Andre says, is full of barbel. They have eaten everything in the Riviersonderend, and stirred up the sediment so that it is no longer a clear stream.

I don't know if the Smalblaar and Elandspad are desirable habitats for Barbel, but if they are, we'll need to get rid of them while we still can, and obviously we'll have to do continual monitoring to keep them away. Someone earlier stated that the bass have been around for years without ill effect. Barbel are a far more serious threat then bass!

[Korrie]

Just about any specie, alien to a specific system, can/have buggered up, or has the potential to disturb the natural balance.

THe examples of alien species, that have added value to an ecosystem, are very few and far between.