# Bigmouth buffalo (*Ictiobus cyprinellus*) The Bigmouth buffalo is a large fish with a big mouth! It swims in rivers and lakes, eating plants and tiny creatures. They are fun to watch as they glide through the water. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Freshwater lakes and rivers ![Bigmouth buffalo](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bigmouth_Buffalo.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alus164, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bigmouth_Buffalo.jpg) ## Appearance The Bigmouth buffalo is a large, deep-bodied freshwater fish, typically silvery-gray with a darker back and pale belly. Its most distinctive feature is a huge, downward-pointing mouth that sets it apart from other similar fish species. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Cypriniformes - **Family:** Catostomidae - **Genus:** Ictiobus ## Interesting facts - Bigmouth buffalo are native North American fish, often mistaken for invasive carp species! - Bigmouth buffalo can live for over 100 years, making them freshwater giants! - Their huge, downward-pointing mouth acts like a natural vacuum cleaner for the riverbed. - These fish can hear well, sensing vibrations to find tiny food in murky water. ## Special abilities - **Filter Feeding Prowess:** Bigmouth buffalo can filter-feed by swimming with their mouth open, catching tiny plants and animals from the water column. - **Exceptional Longevity:** Bigmouth buffalo has an incredibly long lifespan, allowing them to survive for decades and become very large. - **Oxygen Resilience:** Bigmouth buffalo can tolerate low oxygen levels, which helps them survive in warm, stagnant waters. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 50-120 cm - **Weight:** 5-30 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-100 years - **Maximum Depth:** 20 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding These gentle giants filter tiny plants and animals from the water using their special mouths. - **Primary Foods:** zooplankton, phytoplankton, algae, detritus - **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Walleye](https://www.snappit.app/explore/walleye) (*Sander vitreus*) — Young Bigmouth buffalo are prey. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Pike](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pike) (*Esox lucius*) — Predatory fish hunt younger or smaller individuals. - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Eagles can prey on fish near surface. - **Eats:** Water Flea (*Daphnia pulex*) — A primary food source of zooplankton. - **Eats:** Blue-green Algae (*Microcystis aeruginosa*) — Feeds on this common phytoplankton. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always stay close to an adult when near water. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bigmouth buffalo? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Bigmouth buffalo? 50-120 cm ### How much does Bigmouth buffalo weigh? 5-30 kg ### How long does Bigmouth buffalo live? 20-100 years ### What does Bigmouth buffalo eat? These gentle giants filter tiny plants and animals from the water using their special mouths. ### Where is Bigmouth buffalo usually found? Freshwater lakes and rivers ### How does Bigmouth buffalo hunt? Filter feeding ### How deep can Bigmouth buffalo go? 20 m ## Where to spot - [Des Moines Botanical Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/des-moines-botanical-center) — Iowa, US · Botanical Garden - [Lock and Dam No. 22](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lock-and-dam-no-22) — Illinois, US · Historic Site ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Bigmouth buffalo: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bigmouth-buffalo)