Channel Catfish Care Guide
Ictalurus punctatus is a large North American freshwater catfish reaching over a metre; it is a pond and aquaculture species, not a true aquarium fish.
Overview
The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) is a large freshwater catfish native to North America. According to FishBase it can reach a total length of 132 cm and a weight of more than 26 kg, with a reported maximum age of 24 years. It is widely farmed and stocked in ponds and reservoirs, which makes it unsuitable for typical home aquaria.
Taxonomy
- Family: Ictaluridae
- Genus: Ictalurus
- Scientific name: Ictalurus punctatus
Habitat
Wikipedia and FishBase describe a native range across the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes, Hudson Bay and Missouri-Mississippi river systems of southern Canada, the United States and northern Mexico, with introductions throughout the United States. The species occupies rivers, reservoirs, lakes and ponds, often in turbid water, and is a cavity nester that deposits eggs in crevices and hollows.
Tank requirements
- Minimum volume: 1500 L (pond-scale; not an aquarium fish)
- Temperature: 4-25 °C (39-77 °F)
- pH: 6.5-8.0
- GH: 8-20 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-15 years in captivity (up to 24 years reported in the wild, FishBase)
Diet
An omnivore that shifts toward predation with age. FishBase and Wikipedia record a diet of small fish, crayfish and other crustaceans, molluscs such as snails and clams, aquatic insects, frogs, and plant material including algae, seeds and grains; juveniles feed more consistently as omnivores.
Compatibility
A peaceful but very large, nocturnal, bottom-dwelling species. Its eventual size and predatory adult diet mean it will consume small tankmates, so it is kept in ponds rather than community aquaria.
Breeding
FishBase reports spawning from April to July at 27-28 °C, with egg masses of up to 20,000 eggs and incubation of 3-8 days depending on temperature. The species is a cavity nester whose eggs are guarded in sheltered hollows.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2012).