The introduction of African catfish ( Clarias gariepinus ) for aquaculture purposes has proved harmful to endemic catfish varieties mainly because African catfish ____.

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When an exotic or alien species is introduced into a new geographical area, it often becomes invasive and spreads rapidly, causing a decline in the population of indigenous species. This rapid spread and dominance occur primarily because the invaded ecosystem lacks the natural predators that would otherwise keep the exotic species' population under control. The African catfish ( Clarias gariepinus ) was introduced illegally for aquaculture purposes and became a major threat to the endemic catfish varieties in India