Channel Catfish
ExploreFish
Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
The Channel Catfish is a friendly fish that has whiskers on its face. It loves to scavenge for food in rivers!
Habitat: Rivers and lakes
Appearance
The Channel Catfish has a sleek, torpedo-shaped body that is typically olive-brown to slate-gray on top, fading to a silvery-white belly. Younger fish often sport scattered dark spots on their sides, and all possess a deeply forked tail fin and long, sensitive barbels around their mouth.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassActinopterygiiOrderSiluriformesFamilyIctaluridaeGenusIctalurus
Category
FishRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
A record Channel Catfish caught in South Carolina weighed over 58 pounds!
Channel Catfish can make loud grunting and drumming sounds!
They can survive out of water for short periods, if kept moist!
They have taste buds all over their body, not just in their mouths!
Special abilities
Ability
Super Sniffer Whiskers
Channel Catfish can find food in dark or murky water because of four pairs of whisker-like barbels that sense chemicals.
Ability
Sound Maker
Channel Catfish has a special swim bladder that helps them make grunting and drumming noises to communicate.
Ability
Night Navigator
Channel Catfish can see well in low light, letting them hunt for food efficiently after the sun goes down.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 25-58 cm
- Weight
- 0.5-10 kg
- Lifespan
- 6-16 years
- Swim Speed
- 25 km/h
- Maximum Depth
- 15 m
- Water Type
- Freshwater
Diet & Feeding
These fish are opportunistic eaters, feasting on almost anything they can find in their watery home.
Age differences: Younger catfish eat more insects and larvae, while adults consume more fish and larger crustaceans.
Primary Foods
- aquatic insects
- crustaceans
- small fish
- mollusks
- plant matter
- detritus
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
eats
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides
eats juvenile catfish
eats
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
preys on smaller catfish
hunts
Human
Homo sapiens
hunted for food and sport
eats
Red Swamp Crayfish
Procambarus clarkii
eats crayfish found underwater
eats
Common Lake Midge
Chironomus plumosus
eats midge larvae
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Whiskered
Possessing prominent sensory hairs or vibrissae, often around the snout.
Scavenger
Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem.
Piscivorous
Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.
Freshwater
Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Nocturnal
Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.
Also known as
Forktail Catfish
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Channel Catfish?
25-58 cm
How much does Channel Catfish weigh?
0.5-10 kg
How long does Channel Catfish live?
6-16 years
What does Channel Catfish eat?
These fish are opportunistic eaters, feasting on almost anything they can find in their watery home.
How fast can Channel Catfish swim?
25 km/h
Where is Channel Catfish usually found?
Rivers and lakes
How does Channel Catfish hunt?
Foraging
How deep can Channel Catfish go?
15 m
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