Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
Channel catfish live in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and muddy backwaters across much of North America, often holding near logs, undercut banks, or deep holes. They feed mostly at dusk or night, using sensitive barbels and taste buds over the body to find insects, crayfish, mollusks, small fish, and carrion. When threatened, they can lock sharp dorsal and pectoral fin spines outward, delivering a painful puncture. Males guard nests in cavities and fan the eggs with their fins to keep them oxygenated.
- Type
- Water / Venom
- Conservation status
- LC
Growth chain
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- Channel Catfish