Names
Scientific name: Ariopsis felis
Internationally, it is referred to as the Hardhead Catfish. Other common names include Sea Catfish and Tourist Trout. In the UAE, it is known as Khen (خن).
Shape and color
The Hardhead Catfish has an elongated semi-cylindrical body, that is grey/silver in color with a white belly and is often covered in thick slime.
Hardhead Catfish - خن
Habitat
It is commonly found swimming around sandy and muddy bottoms and is not usually found in schools.
Feeding
It is known for opportunistic feeding on leftovers. It feeds on many marine species including algae, sea cucumbers, shrimps, crabs, and many others.
Fishing season
It is a common fish in the waters of the UAE and can be encountered throughout the year and seems to equally prefer winter and summer months.
Fishing method
It can be caught using various fishing techniques including fishing rods and fish traps (locally known as Gargoor).
Fun facts
Minimum legal length: There is no minimum legal length.
Fishing status: Not banned.
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><u class="x-el x-el-span c2-3i c2-3j c2-3 c2-5a c2-3r c2-3o c2-5b c2-5e" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: inherit; text-transform: inherit; font-weight: inherit; color: inherit; font-size: inherit !important; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: underline;"><strong class="x-el x-el-span c2-3i c2-3j c2-3 c2-5a c2-3r c2-2b c2-5b" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: inherit; text-transform: inherit; color: inherit; font-size: inherit !important; line-height: inherit;">Names</strong></u></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Scientific name: Ariopsis felis</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Internationally, it is referred to as the Hardhead Catfish. Other common names include Sea Catfish and Tourist Trout. In the UAE, it is known as Khen (خن).</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><br></p><hr class="x-el x-el-hr c2-1 c2-2 c2-5f c2-5g c2-5h c2-25 c2-2y c2-k c2-3 c2-4 c2-5 c2-6 c2-7 c2-8" style="box-sizing: content-box; height: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(226, 226, 226); border-image: initial; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; width: 676.328px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><p><br></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><u class="x-el x-el-span c2-3i c2-3j c2-3 c2-5a c2-3r c2-3o c2-5b c2-5e" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: inherit; text-transform: inherit; font-weight: inherit; color: inherit; font-size: inherit !important; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: underline;"><strong class="x-el x-el-span c2-3i c2-3j c2-3 c2-5a c2-3r c2-2b c2-5b" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: inherit; text-transform: inherit; color: inherit; font-size: inherit !important; line-height: inherit;">Shape and color</strong></u></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: Lato, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">The Hardhead Catfish has an elongated semi-cylindrical body, that is grey/silver in color with a white belly and is often covered in thick slime.</span></p>
Hardhead Catfish - خن
Habitat
It is commonly found swimming around sandy and muddy bottoms and is not usually found in schools.
Feeding
It is known for opportunistic feeding on leftovers. It feeds on many marine species including algae, sea cucumbers, shrimps, crabs, and many others.
Fishing season
It is a common fish in the waters of the UAE and can be encountered throughout the year and seems to equally prefer winter and summer months.
Fishing method
It can be caught using various fishing techniques including fishing rods and fish traps (locally known as Gargoor).
Fun facts
Minimum legal length: There is no minimum legal length.
Fishing status: Not banned.