Black Bullhead Care Guide
Ameiurus melas is a hardy North American bullhead catfish tolerant of poor water and cold; it is a pond species and is invasive in parts of Europe.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
The black bullhead (Ameiurus melas) is a hardy North American catfish. FishBase records a maximum length of 66 cm, a weight up to 3.6 kg and a maximum reported age of about 10 years. It is exceptionally tolerant of poor water, warm temperatures and low oxygen, which makes it a pond fish rather than a community aquarium species.
Taxonomy
- Family: Ictaluridae
- Genus: Ameiurus
- Scientific name: Ameiurus melas
Habitat
Native to North America from the Great Lakes south to northern Mexico, the species lives in stagnant or slow-moving waters with soft bottoms such as lakes, ponds, oxbows and low-gradient streams (Wikipedia, FishBase). It tolerates muddy, warm and poorly oxygenated water and gathers in confined spaces such as lake outlets and below dams. It has established invasive populations across parts of Europe.
Tank requirements
- Minimum volume: 400 L (pond-oriented)
- Temperature: 4-24 °C (39-75 °F)
- pH: 6.5-8.0
- GH: 8-20 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-15 years (FishBase reports up to about 10 years in the wild)
Diet
An omnivore that feeds mainly at night. Wikipedia and FishBase describe a diet of insects (notably midge larvae), crustaceans, snails and clams, plant matter, and dead or living fish; juveniles also feed during the day.
Compatibility
A nocturnal, gregarious bottom-dweller that often moves in loose schools and rests in vegetation by day. Given its size and appetite it is unsuitable for community tanks with small fish and is typically kept in ponds.
Breeding
Wikipedia reports spawning from April to June, extending into August in northern regions, with incubation of five to ten days depending on temperature. Both parents guard and fan the eggs, and the young are abandoned at around 25 mm in length.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2011). In Europe it is listed as an invasive alien species.
Ameiurus melas (Black Bullhead) Breeding Guide
Overview
Ameiurus melas, the black bullhead, is a hardy North American catfish of the family Ictaluridae found throughout the central United States. According to Wikipedia adults are typically 165 to 229 mm long. It is cold-tolerant and usually kept in ponds, where it can survive winter under ice, so it is a pond fish rather than a home-aquarium species.
Spawning Behaviour & Trigger
According to Wikipedia, black bullheads spawn from April through June, and at similar latitudes such as Wisconsin spawning has been recorded as late as early August. The female builds the nest, scooping out a small hole or depression in mud or sand, typically at a depth of about 0.6 to 1.2 m and beneath shelter such as vegetation, woody debris or overhanging banks.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs are laid in a gelatinous mass and guarded by both parents, which periodically fan and stir the spawn with their tails and fins. Incubation depends on temperature and typically takes five to ten days. After the fry absorb their yolk sacs and rise from the substrate, they form a compact cloud-like school; the parents continue to follow and circle the school to keep it tight, abandoning the young once they reach around 25 mm in length.
Common Challenges
The nesting requires a soft substrate to excavate and sheltered cover, and successful rearing depends on the parents being left to guard the eggs and fry undisturbed. Adult size, the need for pond conditions and the seasonal spawning window mean this is an outdoor pond project; it is impractical in an ordinary aquarium.