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The cascadu (Hoplosternum littorale) – also spelt cascadoo, cascadoux or cascadura – is one of six freshwater catfish species found in TT.But its appearance makes it even more unusual."The cascadu is one of just three catfish species that have armoured plates. It's the largest of the three armoured catfishes we have in TT."Mohammed has researched a wide variety of species found in ecosystems like mud volcanoes, wetlands, rivers, estuaries, and reefs.He particularly loves doing research on aquaculture (the farming of fish) and alien invasive species.

With the cascadu being found in turbid waterways with rocky beds, its armored plate serves as a form of skin protection.Mohammed said the cascadu's armored plate gives it a prehistoric look. But that's not the only thing that's prehistoric about this fish.Trinidad is the only place, outside of South America, where the fish is native in the wild.The cascadu is only found in the waterways of central and south Trinidad. You may be wondering, why aren't they found across the entire island? Well, waterways in central and south Trinidad have similar characteristics to those found in South America, which the fish prefers.

In TT, curried cascadu is a popular delicacy. But Mohammed warns that if people continue eating these fish at the rate they are now, there may not be many left."The population of cascadu in the wild has decreased significantly. The reasons for that include overfishing and habitat loss."Plenty of the places they were once found have been heavily polluted by agricultural activity or waste water from homes that were built nearby."We need to either farm these fish to get more to eat – or we run the risk of losing all in the wild."

Folklore says that anyone who eats the cascadu will come back to TT to die.

Those who eat the cascadura will, the native legend says,
Wheresoever they may wander, end in Trinidad their days.
And this lovely fragrant island, with its forest hills sublime,
Well might be the smiling Eden pictured in the Book divine.

Cocoa woods with scarlet glory of the stately Immortelles,
Waterfalls and fertile valleys, precipices, fairy dells,
Rills and rivers, green savannahs, fruits and flowers and odours rich,
Waving sugar cane plantations and the wondrous lake of pitch.

Oh! the Bocas at the daybreak – how can one describe that scene!
Or the little emerald islands with the sapphire sea between!
Matchless country of Iere, fairer none could ever wish.
Can you wonder at the legend of the cascadura fish?

Johnson and the Cascadura is a fictional short story about a white Englishman, Garry Johnson, who went to Trinidad “to get background material for a book he was writing, on superstition and witchcraft.” While there, Johnson met an Indian girl, Urmilla, who worked on the estate where Johnson was staying. The two fell in love. They were from different worlds, he a white, affluent man, and she an uneducated country girl. Rumours of their love circulated and there was disquiet and disapproval.

Johnson decided to return to England. The night before he was due to return, Urmilla brought him some curry cascadura she had made, believing in the folklore that, “Those who eat the cascadura will, the native legend says, wheresoever they may wander end in Trinidad their days.”Johnson returned to England and wrote his book. Three years later, he was diagnosed with a rare blood disease. Doctors did not give him much time to live and so he wanted to go back to Trinidad.

Upon his return, Johnson and Urmilla began planning their wedding. Sam, the overseer who had unrequited love for Urmilla said to Johnson, “So the cascadura legend really worked, and brought you back to Trinidad.”“I can’t get Urmilla to believe otherwise,” Johnson laughed.

Urmilla was positive that the cascadura had worked the charm.