Striped cat fish

Scientific name : Plotosus lineatus

Elongate, cylindrical body, with pointed tail. Second dorsal, caudal and anal fins joined together in the eel-like tail. 8 flexible barbels. Black colour with longitudinal white lines. 35 cm.
Living on sandy bottoms, in bay, lagoon, back reef. They feed on crustaceans, mollusks, small fish that catch digging in the sand. Juveniles live in large and very thight schools, with individuals staying literally in touch with each other (uncommon phenomenon in fishes).Adults are solitary.
Juveniles convict blenny Pholidichthys leucotaenia have a very similar colour pattern but no barbels.
Plotosus lineatus has venomous spines on the first dorsal and pectoral fins' rays. The sting is extremely painful, first aid to be administered with heat (warm water or air, as warm as one can bare), as the proteic poison degrades and lose effect with heat.

Striped cat fish Author FEDERICO BETTI Place: Indonesia, Manado Id: 1

	Description	Author	Place	Size
	Striped cat fishes sand filtering	MATTEO GUARDINI	Indonesia, Lembeh strait	744 kB
	Plotosus lineatus	DANIELE IOP	Indonesia, Lembeh strait	1376 kB