Ictalurus punctatus
Copyright, Garold W. Sneegas
Channel Catfish are one
of the largest fish found in Northern Virginia. They can
grow to almost four feet long and up to 50 pounds, however
they are usually much smaller. It is not uncommon to see a
fish three feet long and twenty pounds. Channel Catfish are
usually slender and mostly bluish-gray. The sides may be
light blue or silvery with scattered black spots, and the
belly is white. Channel Catfish have a
large flat head with large eyes. They have an overbite and
eight barbels (whiskers) around their mouths. They can also be
identified by their caudal (tail) fin, which is
forked. www.stammphoto.com
|
Copyright: Nature's Images, Inc. |
Channel Catfish live in rivers, lakes, ponds, and large creeks. They usually hide under logs, rock ledges, muskrat houses, beaver dams, or undercut banks. They also hide along weedy shores. Channel Catfish spawn (mate) in late Spring and early Summer. First, the male finds a good hidden, dark spot. He then waits for the female to show up. After mating, the male chases the female away. He will guard the yellowish egg mass by himself. The male guards the eggs from predators, including other catfish. He himself will sometimes eat some of the eggs. |
Planet Catfish After the fry (young catfish larvae) hatch, he will guard them until they are big enough to go out on their own. Small Channel Catfish eat mostly aquatic insects, small crayfish, and other invertebrates (animals without backbones). When they get older, Channel Catfish will eat aquatic insects, clams, snails, mussels, crayfish, leeches, fish, terrestrial insects (land insects that fall in the water), earthworms, amphibians, and occasionally a small bird or mammal. They will also eat some aquatic plants, algae, and seeds that fall in the water.
Copyright, Garold W. Sneegas
| Channel Catfish feed mostly at
night, and they are most active from sundown until midnight. Some
fishermen swear that catfish feed more when there is a full moon.
Channel cats use their barbels to locate food on the bottom, such as
clams and leeches, but they are not strictly bottom feeders. These
catfish will take swimming animals and food from the surface as
well.
As a defense, Channel Catfish have a mild venom in their pectoral fins (on the chest) and dorsal fin (on the back). Their main predators are larger fish, especially from the Sunfish family, and birds, such as osprey, eagles or herons. |
Copyright, Christopher J. Madeira, www.cydera.com |
Konrad P. Schmidt
Relationships in Nature:
Relationship to Humans:
Channel Catfish are the most eaten freshwater fish in America, after trout. Not only are they caught and consumed by fisherman, but they are also farmed in parts of the country. These are the catfish filets that you see in the grocery store.
Catfish are also helpful in controlling populations of insects, fish and other animals. People need to be careful handling them, because of the sharp spines and venom. Being cut by a Channel Catfish spine is often compared to a paper cut.