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Catfish Washes Up in Florida Driveway

Louis Bardach was shocked to find a walking catfish in his South Florida driveway. Bardach watched in disbelief as the fish wiggled its way across the concrete and slithered off.

Published August 5, 2024 at 4:27pm by Mary Walrath-Holdridge

Florida Man Records 'Very Weird' Catfish Walking on Land During Tropical Storm Debby

Gulfport, Florida – A Gulfport, Florida, man encountered an unusual visitor in his driveway as Tropical Storm Debby approached the state: a catfish that appeared to be walking on land.

Louis Bardach shared a video with Storyful showing the "very much alive" catfish that had likely been washed up by the storm. The fish can be seen sitting still on the ground until Bardach tries to touch it, causing it to flop back and forth and slither away.

"It's walking away," Bardach says in the video. "Not sure how it got here, or where he's trying to get to."

The catfish was able to use its fins to move across the dry land and eventually reached a puddle, demonstrating an unusual ability shared by its species.

What is a walking catfish?

The walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) is a freshwater species native to Southeast Asia but now found in Florida.
They can move across land using their pectoral fins and can breathe air thanks to a special gill structure.
These catfish were likely introduced to Florida in the 1960s through escapes from human-kept facilities.
They are commonly found in swampy areas like the Everglades and often appear in drainage systems after floods.
Walking catfish grow up to 20 inches long and weigh 2.5 pounds. It is illegal to possess or transport them alive in the state.

Tropical Storm Debby's Impact

Debby made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane with 80 mph winds, causing widespread flooding and electrical outages in northern Florida.
At least four fatalities have been reported.
President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Florida, and Gov. Ron DeSantis activated the National Guard for humanitarian assistance.
The storm is expected to bring potentially historic rainfall to Georgia and South Carolina, with up to 30 inches of rain predicted in some areas.

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