#ictaluridae

[herpsandbirds]

Tadpole Madtom (Noturus gyrinus), family Ictaluridae, order Siluriformes, Delmarva Peninsula of the Mid-Atlantic U.S.

This individual was caught as part of a scientific survey, and then released.

photograph by Austin Kaplan

[every-day-creechur]

Stonecat Noturus flavus

A freshwater catfish found in the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River, drainages of Hudson Bay, and the Mississippi River basin of North America. The stonecat is a benthic, opportunistic feeder, using its sensitive barbels during the night to search for food on the river bottom.

image by cramnaejvallieres

[uncharismatic-fauna]

The Beautiful Blue Catfish

Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) are members of the bullhead catfish family, native to the drainages of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio river basins and the Gulf of Mexico. Because of their popularity as game fish, this species has also been introduced to freshwater systems throughout North and South America, and is considered invasive in these areas.

Like many catfish, I. furcatus is a bottom dweller. They can often be found near complex structures such as rocky outcroppings, fallen trees, or sunken structures that provide both food and shelter. The blue catfish is an opportunistic predator, consuming any fish or aquatic invertebrates it can find, as well as eggs, small amphibians, and injured or recently deceased animals. Adult I. furcatus are seldom prey for other species due to their size, but hatchlings and juveniles are often food for cormorants, willets, osprey, pelicans, and bald eagles. To deter predators, this species has serrated barbs along their dorsal and pectoral fins, each laced with a particularly painful toxin.

Though they can be difficult prey for other animals, the blue catfish is a popular target for fishermen, and for good reason; they're the largest species of catfish in North America. Adults can easily reach a length of 65 in (170 cm) and a weight of 165 lb (75 kg). As indicated by their name, most individuals are grey or blue, with a lighter underbelly. This species also lacks scales, a common characteristic of catfish, and the face is framed by long whisker-like barbels that help it detect nearby food.

While generally solitary, blue catfish aren't territorial, and tend to ignore each other until the mating season. Reproduction begins in April and continues until June, during which time males attract a female by building a nest and releasing attractive pheromones. Once a female has selected a male, she lays between 4,000-8,000 eggs per kilogram of bodyweight in his nest (i.e. if the female weighs 2 kg, she may lay between 8,000-16,000 eggs). The male then disperses sperm over the eggs. Following fertilization, the male chases away the female and guards the nest for about a week, at which time the eggs hatch. The hatchlings, also known as fry, stay close together in schools for several weeks before growing large enough to disperse. It will take them a further 5 years for them to reach maturity; on average individuals live about 10 years, but can live as long as 25.

Conservation status: The blue catfish is considered Least Concern by the IUCN. Within its native range, populations face minor threats from dams and droughts. Where it has been introduced, the species is considered invasive due to its voracious appetite.

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Photos

Missouri Department of Conservation

NOAA

Earl Nottingham

[herpsandbirds]

Hi there! This is probably a long shot, because the image quality is fairly bad, but can you ID these fish?

I saw them yesterday in a lake in southern Germany.

Fish ID – Germany:

These are the fry (juveniles) of a catfish, and they look to me very much like one of the bullheads. If this is so, it is probably the Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), family Ictaluridae, which is native to North America, but has been introduced to Germany. 

[every-day-creechur]

Neosho Madtom Noturus placidus

Historically, the Neosho madtom was found in the Neosho, Cottonwood, Spring, and Illinois Rivers in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. It is believed to be no longer present in the Illinois River and scattered through the rest of its historic range. Neosho madtoms are short-lived fish, only occasionally surviving more than three years. Adults bury themselves in the gravel during the day and come out to feed at night.

image by adgeorge

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Uncharismatic Fact of the Day

What do you call a fish with no eyes? A Mexican blindcat! These fish, known as  bagre de muzquiz in Mexico, dwell in caves up to 610 m (2,000 ft) underground, and because there is no light this species no longer have any eyes. Instead they have a highly developed sense of smell, and special nerves called lateral lines that run along the length of their bodies helps them detect motion in the water around them.

(Image: A mexican blindcat (Prietella phreatophila) by Jean Krejca)

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[astronomy-to-zoology]

Saddled Madtom (Noturus fasciatus)

...a rarely encountered species of madtom catfish (Noturus spp.) that is endemic to the state of Tennessee in the United States. In Tennessee it is restricted to the Duck River system and two minor tributaries of the Tennessee River in the western part of Tennessee. Saddled madtoms typically inhabit medium-sized streams where they can be found under gravel, rubble, and slab rock. Like other madtoms they feed mostly on insects like stonefly and mayfly larvae. 

Classification

Animalia-Chordata-Actinopterygii-Siluriformes-Ictaluridae-Noturus-N. fasciatus

Image: Dick Biggins