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North American catfish, of the family Ictaluridae, are freshwater species that commonly range into estuarine waters. Three species of bullhead catfish are native to the Chesapeake Bay: white catfish (Ameiurus catus), brown bullhead (A. nebulosus) and yellow bullhead (A. natalis). Two introduced species of catfish, channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and blue catfish (I. furcatus) have become economically important to the region. Channel catfish are established in the upper Bay and tributaries throughout the Bay system. Blue catfish, once considered rare, are becoming increasingly abundant in several drainage systems. A third introduced species, flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) has only limited distribution in the Bay at present. All species should be handled with care due to the pair of sharp spines on their pectoral fins.
Blue Catfish Color: Pale blue; white underside. Fins: Caudal fin deeply forked. Anal fin straight-edged with 30 to 36 anal rays. Other: Steeply sloping predorsal profile, heavy bodied. The blue catfish is the largest of the North American catfishes. It is indigenous to the southern United States, native to the Mississippi River and the Rio Grande drainages, but also occurs in reservoirs and the main channels of medium-sized to large rivers. It has been introduced in the Chesapeake Bay region and is occasionally encountered in the brackish waters (with salinity less than 12 percent) of the Bay. The blue catfish is bluish silver dorsally, silvery white ventrally, and reaches a maximum adult size of 5.5 feet, although typical fish are 2 feet in length. An individual of 3.3 feet can weigh more than 50 pounds. In the 1800s there were reports of blue catfish that exceeded 150 pounds, but the largest recorded fish is one from South Dakota that weighed 97 pounds. Individuals are reported to live at least 10 years. The blue catfish is a carnivorous bottom feeder that hunts a variety of prey, including other fish, insects, crayfish, clams and mussels. Adults construct a nest and care for it until the young hatch. Spawning occurs from April to June. Because of its large size and firm, well-flavored flesh, the blue catfish is highly valued as a food fish. The tidal portions of the James and Rappahannock rivers support an ample sport fishery, and commercial fishers probably catch them as well, although little stock information is available.
White Catfish Color: Bluish-gray back and sides; white underside. Fins: Caudal fin moderately forked; 19 to 23 anal rays. Other: Very broad head and stout body. Smaller than blue and channel catfish. White catfish spawn in still or flowing waters near sand or gravel banks. The male and female create large, saucer-shaped nests by fanning their sides and fins on the bottom. Females lay approximately 1,000 to 4,000 sticky` eggs, and males guard the nest and undulate their bodies to aerate eggs and disturb sediments on the egg surfaces. Males may remain close to the nest after hatching until the fry disperse. White catfish mature at three to four years of age and can live approximately 14 years.
Brown and Yellow Bullhead Color: Brown back, mottled brown sides, white underside; light olive to dark brown, yellow sides, white underside. Fins: Square, slightly notched caudal fin, 20 to 24 anal rays; rounded caudal fin, 24 to 27 anal rays. Other: Dark barbels, serrated pectoral spine; yellow to white barbels, short bodied. Brown bullheads may spawn up to twice a year in late spring. They excavate nesting sites in sand or mud in the shallow waters of slow-moving tributaries. Small females lay approximately 2,000 sticky eggs, while larger females can lay as many as 13,000 and spawn several times during a season. Both sexes guard and aerate the nests to keep them free of sediments. Eggs hatch in five to eight days; parents remain near the nest after hatching, and the fry stay in the nest for up to eight days. Brown bullheads can grow to 18 inches and three to four pounds. They reach maturity in three years or older and may live for 10 years or more. Yellow bullheads lay between 1,650 and 7,000 eggs in shallow, saucer-shaped nests in shallow water, often beneath a bank, log or tree root. Juveniles are .68 to .84 inches.
Channel Catfish Color: Gray to greenish-gray or yellow-olive, sides fade to silver-gray, white underside. Juveniles have black speckles. Fins: Caudal fin deeply forked, 24 to 29 anal rays. Other: Barbels extend past head, upper jaw slightly protruded. Channel catfish usually spawn once a year in summer and lay between 2,000 and 20,000 eggs in turbid tributaries. They select nest sites in dark cavities or undercut stream banks, or inside crevices, hollow logs or in man-made containers. Channel catfish fry sometimes collect in small schools after leaving the nest until they find suitable cover. Fingerlings shelter during the day and disperse to find food at night. The size and age of channel catfish at maturity varies, depending on their sex and location.
Flathead Catfish Color: Olive to dark brown with dark marbled blotches, yellow to olive underside. Fins: Squarish, white-edged tail, 14 to 17 anal rays (rarely 13 or 18 rays). Other: Broad, flat head. Lower jaw protrudes. Flatheads spawn from June through August in shallow waters of temperatures between 22 and 29 degrees centigrade. They form nests near submerged logs or other protected areas along river banks, and the females lay between 4,000 and 93,000 adhesive eggs, depending on their age and size. Males guard the nest.
Images courtesy: Fisherman's Guide: Fishes of the Southeastern United States. Charles Manooch, III, author. Duane Raver, Jr. , illustrator. (blue catfish, white catfish, channel catfish) Image courtesy: Illinois Natural History Survey. (brown bullhead, yellow bullhead, flathead catfish) To bookmark this page, please use this URL: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/catfish.htm For more information, contact the Chesapeake
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