what are catfish whiskers for
Listen. Unlike cats and dogs, whose whiskers are made of hair, catfish have special whisker-like feelers made of skin. These sensitive feelers are called â barbels .. Each barbel is loaded with tiny taste buds and special olfactory sensors to help the fish smell.arbels help the fish search out food using their senses of touch and taste. Though it may seem obvious how the catfish got its name, these barbel whiskers are not the only reason. When caught, catfish make a noise that sounds a bit like a cat purring.