What environmental thresholds trigger the overland migration behavior of the walking catfish?

Answer

When water temperatures rise excessively or oxygen levels drop due to overcrowding or stagnation

The decision for the walking catfish to initiate movement across land is intrinsically linked to immediate survival pressures within its aquatic habitat, rather than curiosity or routine exploration. Key environmental indicators that trigger this terrestrial escape behavior involve conditions that severely compromise respiration underwater. These specific thresholds include excessive increases in water temperatures, which reduce dissolved oxygen capacity, or significant drops in oxygen levels often caused by stagnation or overcrowding within a water body. When these lethal conditions are met, the catfish actively seeks out new, hopefully wetter ground or an alternative water source to continue survival.

What environmental thresholds trigger the overland migration behavior of the walking catfish?
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