Many of the smaller species, particularly the genus Corydoras, are important in the aquarium hobby. The catfish population is very diverse with almost 3000 species known to date. Now, those are not the only species of catfish that we have in North America, there are also several species of bullhead catfish, white catfish, and the gaff Topsail catfish. VDGIF staff collected a total of 16,494 Blue Catfish over the two years and estimated the Blue Catfish abundance in Powell Creek, as well as density (fish per acre) and biomass (weight of Blue Catfish per acre). There are over 2000 species of catfish (order: Siluriformes), thus making them one of the largest fish orders. Are the largest of the species, some topping out in excess of 120 lbs. They are flathead catfish, blue catfish, and channel catfish. You will find different catfish species on every continent except Antarctica. The largest is probably a blue catfish, or perhaps a flathead. Answer. They vary greatly in body shape, pattern, and scale configuration. So people estimate around 500 to … Clarias catfish and primarily Clarias batrachus (walking catfish) have been introduced to many different areas of the world, where they are causing problems for the native wildlife. In North America, there are three main species of catfish that people will generally like to fish for. There are many species. Clarias falconeri † Lydekker, 1886, from India; Invasive species. Some experts recognize as many as 41 species. Catfish also tend to be very hardy and, for the most part, easy to keep in the home aquarium. While many anglers refer to “high fin blue catfish” and will even argue that there are two different species of blue catfish, this is absolutely incorrect. There are approximately 3,000 species of catfish though! Blue catfish (Catfish species and habitats). Although numerous domestic cat breeds exist, common household cats derive from a single species, called Felis catus. No one knows how many. There are to many to list, as there are catfish that live all over the world. Fossil species. And of course we are still discovering new species! Catfish are of considerable commercial importance; many of the larger species are farmed or fished for food. There are many species of large catfish there, some over 70 pounds. There are to many to list, as there are catfish that live all over the world. There is only one species of blue catfish and that is as described above. For one thing, they are an extremely diverse group of fishes with many unique colors and patterns. There are approximately 3,000 species of catfish though! They rank second or third among all the vertebrates in terms of their diversity and interestingly, one in every twenty vertebrates and also one in every ten species of fish is a catfish. Wiki User February 25, 2012 4:31PM. and found mainly in large river systems and reservoirs, though they do inhabit small feeder rivers during the spawn. There are many reasons to love catfish in the freshwater aquarium. The VDGIF study estimated there were 29,745 Blue Catfish in Powell Creek in 2007, but estimated abundance declined to 10,041 by 2014. How many species of catfish are in the world? Most scientists recognize 36 or 37 species of cats, depending upon how they define a species and the latest knowledge of cat evolution. Many catfish are nocturnal, but others (many Auchenipteridae) are crepuscular or diurnal (most Loricariidae or Callichthyidae, for example). And of course we are still discovering new species!