What type of substrate do Yellow Bullheads strongly favor for maintaining territory and foraging?
Answer
Soft, muddy, or silty bottoms
The environmental niche selection of *A. natalis* is heavily dictated by the composition of the river or lake bottom. These catfish exhibit a pronounced preference for substrates that are soft, consisting of mud or silt deposits. This preference is functionally important because it influences where they spend their time foraging for food, as their feeding strategy involves working along the bottom substrate. Furthermore, their physical design, featuring smooth, scaleless skin, aids in movement across these soft bottoms. This affinity for silty environments means they thrive where fine sediments accumulate, often associated with slow-moving or stagnant water bodies.
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