# Smallmouth buffalo (*Ictiobus bubalus*) The Smallmouth buffalo is a big fish that lives in rivers and lakes. It has a strong body and can swim very fast! These fish are fun to watch as they splash around in the water. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Lakes and rivers ![Smallmouth buffalo](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/115084523/medium.jpeg) Photo: moxostoma, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/115084523) ## Appearance The Smallmouth buffalo has a deep, compressed body, typically appearing dark bronze to olive-brown. It features a distinctively small, downward-pointing mouth and large, prominent scales, making it visually different from slender, sharp-mouthed fish. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Cypriniformes - **Family:** Catostomidae - **Genus:** Ictiobus ## Interesting facts - Believe it or not, it's one of North America's largest native sucker fish! - Smallmouth buffalo can live for almost 20 years, making them freshwater old-timers! - They help clean lakes by vacuuming up tiny plants and critters from the bottom. - This fish is a strong swimmer, but rarely seen jumping out of the water! ## Special abilities - **Bottom Vacuum:** Smallmouth buffalo can sift through mud and debris because of their specialized, protrusible mouth, helping them find tiny food items. - **Taste Buds Everywhere:** Smallmouth buffalo have taste buds on their fins and body that help them detect food without seeing it. - **Tough Breath:** Smallmouth buffalo can survive in murky, low-oxygen water because they are very tolerant to poor aquatic conditions. - **Long-lived Survivor:** Smallmouth buffalo has a long lifespan, reaching nearly two decades, that helps them reproduce many times over their life. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 40-120 cm - **Weight:** 2-27 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-18 years - **Swim Speed:** 15 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 20 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding They are bottom feeders that vacuum up tiny plants and animals from muddy lake and river beds. - **Primary Foods:** Algae, Zooplankton, Insect larvae, Detritus, Small crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Spotted Gar (*Lepisosteus oculatus*) — Gars hunt young buffalo in murky waters. - **Eaten by:** [Largemouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/largemouth-bass) (*Micropterus salmoides*) — Bass prey on juvenile buffalo when they are small. - **Eats:** Water Flea (*Daphnia pulex*) — Smallmouth buffalo filter-feed on these tiny crustaceans. - **Eats:** Bloodworm (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Buffalo consume these insect larvae from the bottom. ## 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. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [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. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always stay safe by keeping a distance from the water and never go swimming alone. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Smallmouth 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 Smallmouth buffalo? 40-120 cm ### How much does Smallmouth buffalo weigh? 2-27 kg ### How long does Smallmouth buffalo live? 8-18 years ### What does Smallmouth buffalo eat? They are bottom feeders that vacuum up tiny plants and animals from muddy lake and river beds. ### How fast can Smallmouth buffalo swim? 15 km/h ### Where is Smallmouth buffalo usually found? Lakes and rivers ### How does Smallmouth buffalo hunt? Filter feeding ## 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: [Smallmouth buffalo: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/smallmouth-buffalo)