number of barbels

[OTp1144]

So I recently heard on the radio that catfish have an odd number of whiskers. However, the best source for this I can find is yahoo answers, answers.com, etc. Nothing scientific. The reason I come to you lot of experts is because looking at my RTC, RTCxTSN, TSN, channel, ARTC, and every other picture of catfish I can find on the internet, they all have an even number of barbels.

Am I missing something?

 

[ManuelP]

Catfish never have an odd number ob barbels, always even. (2 - 4 Pairs, at least as far as I know..)

The only fishes I know with an odd number of barbles are some members of the Gadidae, with only one barbel.

 

[Chicxulub]

Lmao that's one heck of an odd thing for someone to say. M ManuelP hit this nail on the head; catfish have barbels in pairs and as such are always even.

 

[OTp1144]

yeah i messaged them about it to ask for a source, no response. not like i expect one.

but a poor lady lost a contest because of this question. :/

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

AFAIK, it is always even. So at the face value, the lady's got hooded.

Perhaps they were thinking of an odd number of PAIRS of barbels (cannot be generalized to all catfish) or that catfish have abnormally, oddly many barbels... who knows.