# Blue Catfish (*Ictalurus furcatus*) The Blue Catfish is a big fish with a bluish color. It is known for being a strong swimmer and can grow very large! - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Rivers and lakes - **Also known as:** Ictalurus furcatus ![Blue Catfish](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426927/objects/4680.jpg) ## Appearance The Blue Catfish is a large fish with a distinctive silvery-blue to slate gray body and a bright white belly. It has smooth, scaleless skin, a slightly humped back, and a deeply forked tail that makes it different from other catfish. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** CHORDATA - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** SILURIFORMES - **Family:** ICTALURIDAE - **Genus:** Ictalurus ## Interesting facts - Blue Catfish have over 100,000 taste buds all over their body! - Some people catch them by "noodling," which means using only their bare hands! - These are the largest catfish in North America, growing to incredible sizes! - Unlike most fish, they don't have scales; their skin is super smooth! ## Special abilities - **Powerful Tail Fin:** Blue Catfish can swim swiftly through strong currents because of its strong, deeply forked tail. - **Croaking Communicator:** Blue Catfish can make croaking sounds by rubbing bones together that helps them communicate with each other. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 25-165 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-68 kg - **Lifespan:** 9-25 years - **Swim Speed:** 12 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 20 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding They are big eaters, munching on smaller fish, insects, crayfish, and even some plants. - **Age differences:** Younger catfish mainly eat insects and crustaceans, while adults become more fish-focused. - **Primary Foods:** small fish, shad, minnows, crayfish, aquatic insects, mussels - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [American Alligator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-alligator) (*Alligator mississippiensis*) — Young catfish can be eaten by American alligators. - **Eats:** Gizzard Shad (*Dorosoma cepedianum*) — Blue Catfish hunt and eat Gizzard Shad, an abundant schooling fish. - **Eats:** Red Swamp Crayfish (*Procambarus clarkii*) — Blue Catfish feed on red swamp crayfish found on the river bottom. - **Eaten by:** [Osprey](https://www.snappit.app/explore/osprey) (*Pandion haliaetus*) — Ospreys sometimes prey on smaller, juvenile Blue Catfish near the surface. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Whiskered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/whiskered): Possessing prominent sensory hairs or vibrissae, often around the snout. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [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. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Blue Catfish? 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 Blue Catfish? 25-165 cm ### How much does Blue Catfish weigh? 0.5-68 kg ### How long does Blue Catfish live? 9-25 years ### What does Blue Catfish eat? They are big eaters, munching on smaller fish, insects, crayfish, and even some plants. ### How fast can Blue Catfish swim? 12 km/h ### Where is Blue Catfish usually found? Rivers and lakes ### How does Blue Catfish hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Charlestown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charlestown-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District - [Bartholdi Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bartholdi-park) — District of Columbia, US · Botanical Garden - [Busch Gardens Williamsburg](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/busch-gardens-williamsburg) — Virginia, US · Zoo - [Financial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/financial-historic-district) — District of Columbia, US · Historic District - [National World War I Memorial (Washington, D.C.)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/national-world-war-i-memorial-washington-d-c) — District of Columbia, US · Park - [Oxon Run Parkway](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/oxon-run-parkway) — District of Columbia, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Blue Catfish](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/blue-catfish) ## 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: [Blue Catfish: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-catfish)