Wels Catfish

The Wels Catfish, also called Sheatfish or just Wels, is a large species of catfish native to wide areas of central, southern, and eastern Europe. It has been introduced to Western Europe as a prized sport fish, and is now found from the United Kingdom to Kazakhstan and China, and south to Greece and Turkey. With a total length possibly exceeding 9.8 ft (3 m) and a maximum weight of over 440 lb (200 kg), the Wels is the largest freshwater fish in Europe and Western Asia, however such lengths are unproven in modern times. Younger Wels Catfish are about 31-51 in (80-130cm) in length, and up to about 33 lb (15 kg) in weight. The Wels Catfish is a long-lived species and can live up to 70 years old.