Lots of catfish swarm canal in Canberra, apparently swimming out to sea

A school of catfish recently swarmed a Canberra canal, catching the attention of residents.

A video of the strange sight was shared by user Regine Tan on the Facebook group Singapore Wildlife Sightings on Dec. 10, 2025.

In her caption, Tan expressed shock at the "thousands" of fish packed into the canal.

"Are those catfish? Where are they going?" she asked.

Sea fish

Wildlife specialist Ivan Kwan suggested that it might be the Sagor Sea Catfish.

According to a National University of Singapore (NUS) study, the species is often found in canals that drain out to the sea.

These marine catfishes often leave for deeper waters at low tide, according to Wild Singapore.

They also have venomous spines, and hence should not be picked up or handled as their "stings can be excruciating and long-lasting".

Other residents chimed in with their own sightings of the swarm.

One said that he sees the swarm travel up and down stream every day from his Canberra Street home.

Users in the comments section also noted the water's clarity, and said that it shows that the canal is able to support wildlife.

It's a phenomenon reminiscent of certain towns in Japan, where koi fish can be found in spring-fed drains due to their cleanliness.

Top photo from Regine Tan/Facebook