Catfish vs Swai: The Differences Between Catfish and Swai

There has been some confusion concerning catfish and the Swai. Catfish and Swai have some similarities, but there are differences that can be used to tell them apart. When you visit restaurants to dine, on the menu, you will notice that the fish served has been labeled as either catfish or Swai. This identification is made to help people make the right choices if they want to eat catfish or Swai.

Catfish vs Swai

Catfish can be found in many rivers and lakes across the US, and other parts of the world. The Swai fish species are originally from Vietnam. Fish farmers needed the Swai in the US to avoid some laws which prohibited the use of antibiotics for catfish. In the case of imported Swai, the farmers could use the antibiotics to prevent illnesses and get a higher yield.

There is also a demand for Swai among Asians and other people who have discovered the fish species. While the catfish is regarded as an invasive fish species found in many parts of the world, Swai is known to be listed as one of the endangered species which can become a rare catch in a few years. The Swai have been introduced in local rivers and other water bodies to promote their survival. The aim was to help increase their population, but there are suspicions that Swai has not coped very well in the natural habitat away from their original location in Asia.

Anglers have rarely caught Swai in the wild. It is one of the freshwater fish species that rely on the success of local fish farmers to breed them successfully. Catfish faces minimal threats regarding its existence and survival because it has been around for so many years.

Both fish species, catfish and Swai, are good sources of nutrients and recommended in healthy diets. They can be cooked in similar ways, frying, boiling, steaming, and other creative cooking methods. There is a high demand for the catfish and Swai as indicated by the sales figures in restaurants that serve seafood. They are also quite affordable in the local fish markets so everyone can buy catfish or Swai and enjoy tasty homemade meals.

Catfish and Swai are omnivores; they eat aquatic plants and small fish, worms, insects, and amphibians. They thrive in murky waters with low levels of oxygen. A common way to identify catfish is its barbells, and the absence of scales, Swai stands out with darker dorsal and pectoral fins which are quite larger on the female Swai. Catfish spawn in the shallow parts of the river, while Swai prefer areas closer to the river banks to spawn. While catfish can withstand some level of water pollution, Swai have been known to die quickly when their habitat is polluted with chemicals or if the water to too hard.

Fish farmers have experimented many ways to protect Swai from elimination; the antibiotics that have been banned for catfish have helped to make Swai more resistant when bred by farmers in the private ponds. Fish sellers confidently buy catfish from anglers who want to sell some of their catch, but they only patronize known fish farms when they want to buy Swai to ensure they are getting the best quality.

Related: