Cat-ching up on Catfish Nutrition with Rebecca Bentley
The catfishes - members of the order Siluriformes - include over 3000 species that vary widely in size, appearance, biology, and ecology. So what do catfish eat? Fishkeepers are often confused and assume that a one-size-fits-all approach works. My guest today, Rebecca Bentley, has a lot to say on that subject! Rebecca is an ichthyologist with a broad understanding of catfishes but specializing in the feeding morphology of the loricariid, or “pleco” family of catfishes. Join us, as we learn more about the science of catfish nutrition from an expert on the subject!
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BIO:
Rebecca Bentley is a fish biologist (ichthyologist) specializing in the evolution of Loricariid (pleco) catfishes, particularly their morphology involved in feeding, her PhD topic of study at the University of Bristol. Her research covers this diverse and vast group of fishes, increasing the understanding of a misunderstood group of freshwater fishes. Previously Rebecca completed most of her research masters in biosystematics at both Imperial College London and the Natural History Museum, London studying the evolution of plecos. Her undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Southampton fostered her passion and understanding of fishes and their biology, along with their biological context.
Having owned aquariums since the age of 10 she has been keeping a variety of fishes from cichlids, goldfish to catfishes. Throughout this time she has worked for 6 years within the aquarium trade with freshwater, brackish and marine setups. This passion stems from a fascination with the natural world and the many species within it. With experience in both aquariums and the scientific environment Rebecca is passionate about communication between both fields. In addition to describing a new Peruvian species of Corydoras catfishes in the scientific journal Zootaxa, she has written for Practical Fishkeeping Magazine.