The brutal killer of chicks is still on the run

A hungry catfish, an empty lake and some ducklings protected by species currently employ many people in Hesse. In the end, he will probably catch the fish or the birds.

The lake still rests in the Offenbacher Dreieichpark. A fountain splashes in the middle, and somewhere at the bottom of the pond, probably also the remains of catfish, which made a sensation for days as a so-called "chick killer". "A catfish does not eat every day," says Günther Hoff-Schramm, director of the Hessischer Fischer badociation. "It then goes to the bottom and digests – it can take up to two weeks." Good news for chicks protected by species, which should be with their mother, except catfish, the last inhabitants of the pond. There is only peace – until the catfish is hungry again. Nevertheless, just to eradicate the population of the pond, this should not be. Time runs against the catfish

Wels against the chicks – who survives the Offenbacher Teich?

The Wels was spotted for the first time last year. Since then, the predator has eaten all the fish in the very small pond. Meanwhile, the chicks of mallard ducks and hens enrich the diet of large fish. This could be catastrophic for catfish – since hens are clbadified as protected species in accordance with the Federal Nature Conservation Act and are listed on the red list of bird species in danger in Hesse. With its small eyes, large mouth and beards, fish does not come up against the softness factor of fluffy chicks. Nevertheless, the spokesperson of the city of Offenbacher, Kerstin Holzheimer, also sympathizes with the fish: "You can not accuse him of looking for food."

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Ruwen Kohring, a specialist in fishing magazines, also works to protect catfish. "I think only the untruths about the fish are born," he complains. Roughly speaking, a catfish does not eat more than it weighs in the year. "In a catfish 1.50 meters long, it would be about 25 to 26 kilograms

Advocates of animal welfare have already asked that the fish be relocated kill. "However, it must not be exposed or stolen by humans in running water," said a spokesman for Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt. Because catfish is a non-native predatory fish. Only a relocation to other stagnant waters is possible. "Otherwise, of course, still remain the possibility of consumption."

Offenbach's catfish problem to go into the net

This is as well as the Hoff-Schramm of the Hessian Fischer Association. "The only logical reason to catch the fish is to prepare it," he says. "All the rest would be a violation of the Animal Welfare Act – you can only catch fish for a reasonable reason." A barbecue with catfish in the pond – there would have been many

Would the chicks diet have changed the taste of the fish? That doubted Hoff-Schramm. If the catfish now eats chicks, frogs or crabs – everything will be converted to protein. It is a plain meat, boneless and similar to veal. "Provided that the fish is properly watered before cooking, so that no more taste remains.

Since catfish are nocturnal, anglers must feed the animal in the dark. attract. Given its size, the catfish fishery certainly requires a "larger stem that does not break immediately," says Hoff-Schramm. On the internet fishing sites is really delusional in the fight between fishermen and fish, when the catfish bitten. But to bite, the catfish must first be hungry again, says Wels-fisherman Kohring. "Otherwise, even the best bait will not help!"

The search for "problematic catfish" has been interrupted for the moment

The very lonely and very greedy catfish has crossed the net during a large-scale search operation. The plan was now to take it to other waters in Hesse, where it would be kept in a proper manner. But the action of the city was canceled Sunday morning, at least for the moment. "We do not have any," said professional fisherman Dieter Stitz.

He had been at the pond with a crew of up to four other fishermen, according to the city. "The catfish spit out a fish and literally went through the net." The predator was smaller than expected – only about a meter long and not 1.50 meters as expected. The city wants to decide according to a spokesman Monday, how does it go and if the action is still prolonged.

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