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Whiscash is a dark blue, catfish-like Pokémon with a yellow underbelly. It has a cavernous mouth with light blue lips that have short, thin whiskers growing from the lower lips. Long, yellow barbels grow from its cheeks, and there is a yellow marking on its forehead that resembles a W. The light blue dorsal fin has a pattern of three spots arranged in a triangle, while its horizontal tail fin lacks spots. Its pectoral fins and belly fins match its main body color.
Whiscash uses its caudal fin to cause earthquakes that can extend for over three miles by hitting the bottom of swamp beds. Whiscash can predict when natural earthquakes will occur. It also uses these massive earthquakes to drive away any foes that come near it, going on rampages in the process. This behavior, along with sightings of Whiscash's leaping from lakes, has caused people to mistaken it for starting earthquakes. It lives in a nest at the bottom of ponds and swamps, and is territorial over them. Whiscash tends to wait silently for prey to come to it. This gluttonous fish will eat anything that is alive, sometimes whole, and has been shown in the anime to eat inanimate objects as well. Whiscash also has a diet of consuming mud. Whiscash has poor eyesight, so it has to use its whiskers to detect a prey's vibration.
Whiscash debuted in Whiscash and Ash. A fisherman named Sullivan had been hunting one nicknamed Nero for fifty years because of its huge size. After Ash had battled Nero and retrieved his Badge Case that it had eaten, Sullivan used it as his chance to finally catch Nero. However, even after using a Master Ball, Nero simply swallowed the Ball and swam away.
In Eight Ain't Enough!, Juan's Whiscash was the third Pokémon that he used for the second half of his Gymbattle against Ash. The Whiskers Pokémon was able to defeat Corphish but was defeated by Swellow.
Mr. Briney owns a Whiscash. He uses it to predict the massive, constant earthquakes to determine when he could go fishing, among other reasons. It first appeared in Stick This in Your Craw, Crawdaunt! I.
Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire: After hitting the button changing the Pokémon bumpers on the Ruby Field a set number of times, Whiscash will appear in the pool. Hitting the ball into Whiscash's mouth will transport the player to the Sealeo Bonus Field. In the unlikely event that the ball hits Whiscash from behind, it will get angry and start an earthquake.
Whiscash is extremely territorial. Just one of these Pokémon will claim a large pond as its exclusive territory. If a foe approaches it, it thrashes about and triggers a massive earthquake.
If Whiscash goes on a wild rampage, it sets off a quake-like tremor with a radius of over three miles. This Pokémon has the ability to predict real earthquakes.
Mysteriously, it can foretell earthquakes. In the daytime, it sleeps in mud at the bottom of a pond. When it awakens, it continually feeds throughout the night.
Whiscash is extremely territorial. Just one of these Pokémon will claim a large pond as its exclusive territory. If a foe approaches it, it thrashes about and triggers a massive earthquake.
If Whiscash goes on a wild rampage, it sets off a quake-like tremor with a radius of over three miles. This Pokémon has the ability to predict real earthquakes.
Strikes its caudal fin against the swamp bed to shake the ground and startle its prey. It will then swallow the fleeing prey whole. People mistook this behavior as the cause of earthquakes.
They are also the only Ground-type Pokémon in the Water 2 Egg Group.
Origin
Whiscash is based on Namazu, a catfish in Japanese mythology that causes earthquakes (also note Whiscash's Japanese name "Namazun"). Its move Future Sight and ability Anticipation also alludes to this myth, which possibly originated from the observation that catfish are capable of predicting earthquakes and become agitated a few hours before their occurrence. Namazu is sometimes depicted as a dragon-serpent, which may explain why it can learn the move Dragon Dance. The yellow zigzag on Whiscash's head is similar to a crown.
Since its pre-evolved form appears to be based on a loach, it may also draw inspiration from loach catfish. Whiscash could also be based on Electric catfish due to being able to learn the move Spark.
Name origin
Whiscash may be a combination of whisker, mustache, and possibly catfish. The first letter of its English name may also come from the "W" shaped symbol on its head.
Namazun may be derived from 鯰 namazu (catfish) or 大鯰 Ōnamazu, a catfish in Japanese mythology which caused earthquakes.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.