Details
Ictalurus punctatus
A widespread North American catfish that uses barbels to find food in turbid rivers and lakes and supports major food fisheries.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Native to central and eastern North American rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, and introduced widely. It favors deeper runs, channels, and woody cover.
The body is long, blue-gray to olive, with many dark spots in younger fish. Long barbels surround the mouth.
It feeds most actively at night and rests near deeper water or structure by day, relying strongly on smell and taste.
It is omnivorous, eating insects, mollusks, crustaceans, fish, plant material, and carrion from the bottom.
Males prepare nest cavities and guard the eggs. They may protect young schools for a short period after hatching.
Channel catfish is a major aquaculture species in the United States and a widely stocked sport fish.
