Description
Brown bullhead catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus ) are distinguishable through their barbells that are located near the corners of their mouths, broad head, spiny caudal and pectoral fins, and for having no scales. Additionally, compared to the channel catfish and blue catfish, bullhead catfish have squared tailfins rather than forked. Adults are a molted yellowish-brown to olive body, often with darker blotches, fading to a creamy white or yellow belly. The barbells can be dark brown or black, but the color on their bodies vary depending on their location.
Facts: Bullhead catfish are incredibly resilient as they can tolerate extremely low oxygen levels, high pollution, and can even survive outside of the water for several hours! They thrive in muddy conditions where other fish can’t survive and pack a mighty punch with a sting from their fin spines.
Size
The size of the brown bullhead catfish ranges from a length of 8-14” and a weight of up to 2lbs.
Habitat
Brown bullhead catfish are bottom dwelling fish and are typically found in muddied, vegetated, and warmer parts of lakes, ponds, and slow moving sections of rivers and streams.
Food sources: Bullhead catfish are omnivorous bottom feeders that eat almost anything. They have a keen sense of smell to detect food but primarily feeds on crayfish, amphipods, snails, plant material, and occasionally small fish.
How To Observe
The life cycle of a brown bullhead catfish starts at spawning in late spring to early summer (April-June) when the water temperature exceeds 65 degrees Fahrenheit. In shallow, warm waters, the females build nests in a saucer shape which can be found under logs, in vegetation, or on shallow banks. The females lay a range of 50-10,000 eggs once per season. The time it takes for the eggs to hatch depends on the temperature but the average time takes about 6 days. After hatching, one or both of the parents guard the newly hatched fry and chase away predators or other fish. The average time the fry spend in parental care is about 29 days. Following the fry’s newfound independence, they can expect to live about 7 years in the wild.
