TN00176 CHANNEL CATFISH ICTALURUS PUNCTATUS
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: This is a large catfish; adults typically grow to a Total Length of 300 to 700 mm. They usually have a spotted body, a deeply forked tail, and a somewhat rounded anal fin margin. Body somewhat elongate, round anteriorly in a large adult, compressed posteriorly. The head is depressed, the profile of the head dorsum and nape is straight; the mouth is subterminal to inferior; the eye is small to moderate. The pectoral spine is nearly straight; lightly dentate on the anterior margin; there are well-developed, recurved serrae on the posterior margin. Male genital papilla located posterior to the anus; small, flat and turgid in the breeding male; the papilla incorporates the urinary pore, hence it is a urogenital pore. Papilla may be present or absent in the female; the genital pore is centered in a fleshy mound, separate from the urinary pore. Dorsal fin with 1 spine, 6 rays; branched caudal rays 15; anal rays 27-28(30); pelvic rays 8; pectoral with 1 spine, 8-9 rays; gill rakers 13-15(18). Color: Dorsum and upper side gray to slate blue, sometimes olive with a yellow sheen; spots gray to black; lower side and venter white to silver; fins dusky gray. Breeding male with blue-black head and dorsum, silver-white venter *4205*. REPRODUCTION: age at maturity is variable (age 5 to 7) *817*. spawn in late spring and early summer (May to mid July) with water temperatures of 21 C *817*; males build and guard nests in cavities, burrows, under rocks, and other dark, secluded areas *817*; males fan embyos to provide for water exchange *817*; as spawning time approaches, the female genital area may be seen to pulsate; spawning usually occurs at about 23.9C; males may be used for several spawnings *788*; species spawn in late spring or summer when water temp. reach a point between 23.9-29.5C with 26.7C the apparent optimum; depending on habitat, the spawners may or may not migrate into rivers or moving water at spawning time; spawning takes place in secluded semi-dark nests built by the male in holes, undercut banks, log jams, or rocks; eggs are 450-500 per/oz., yellow when laid but become browner as hatching nears; females 1-4 lbs. bear approximately 4000 eggs; males protect the nest after egg laying, aerate and clean the eggs by fanning with paired fins, and press and pack the eggs with the body and fins; eggs hatch in 5-10 days at temp. from 15.6-27.8C; newly hatched fish have large yolks and remain on the bottom for 2-5 days, then swim to the surface and begin to feed; like other catfishes, the male probably broods the young; sexual maturity is usually reached at 267-406 mm and 5-8 years of age *842*. Immediately prior to and during spawning, both sexes orient head to tail and envelope each other's snout with their caudal fin *4205*. An average-size female in the James River produces approximately 4200 to 10,600 eggs per year *4205*. BEHAVIOR: species will travel long distances, especially downstream to return to its home territory *789*; adults highly migratory, ascend small streams for spawning *1306*; feed at night and during the day *842*. The channel catfish lives in med- ium to large, warm streams, big rivers, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs; strongly tied to main-river channels; usually associated with pools, it is also found in moderate currents; occurs over a variety of sub- strate types. Adapted to clear and turbid upland streams; also found in darkly stained freshwater main channels on the Coastal Plain; apparently intolerant of the moderately to highly acidic waters of the smaller swampy Coastal Plain tributaries and interior Dismal Swamp; typically populates upper sections of estuaries in Virginia and else- where (salinity levels to 15.1 ppt) *4205*. Omnivorous food habits *4205*. POPULATION PARAMETERS: Maturation occurs at 4-6 years and 330-560 mm Total Length in many areas; maximum life-span is about 22 years, although most do not live to 15 years. Fecundity appears to be around 3000 to 4000 eggs per pound (0.45 kg) of female *4205*. AQUATIC/TERRESTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS: Young feed chiefly on plankton and aquatic insect larvae; juveniles and adults will apparently eat almost any aquatic invertebrate, fish, other vertebrates, and some plants *4205*. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: LONG BARBEL (EXCEEDING HEAD LENGTH) SWEEPING POSTERIORLY FROM EACH CORNER OF MOUTH, 4 SHORT BARBELS ATTACHED IN A TRANSVERSE LINE ON LOWER CHIN WITH MEDIAN PAIR SHORTER, NUMEROUS SMALL SHARP TEETH IN BROAD BANDS ON UPPER AND LOWER JAWS, DORSAL SOFT RAYS 6-7, ANAL FIN RAYS 24-27, INCLUDING RUDIMENTARIES, PELVIC FIN RAYS 8 *TN5176* REPRODUCTION: PAIRING SOMETIMES OCCURS BEFORE THE FEMALE IS READY TO SPAWN *TN5071*, UNDER HIGHLY TURBID CONDITIONS IN A LAKE OR RESERVOIR NESTS MAY BE MADE DIRECTLY ON THE BOTTOM IN THE MUD, FEMALE MAY STAND BY WHILE MALE CLEANS NEST, REPORTEDLY, THE LARGEST OR OLDEST FISH SPAWN FIRST AND THE SMALLEST LAST, BASED ON OBSERVATIONS IN AQUARIUMS, DURING SPAWNING THE MALE CLASPS THE FEMALE AROUND THE HEAD WITH HIS TAIL, IF THE FEMALE RESPONDS, SHE THEN WRAPS HER TAIL AROUND THE MALE'S HEAD AND BOTH QUIVER IN UNISON, EGGS AND MILT ARE THEN RELEASED *TN5176*, THE EGGS ARE DEPOSITED AS A GELATINOUS MASS *TN5071*, THEY ARE DEMERSAL, ADHESIVE, AVERAGE 3.2 MM IN DIAMETER WITH THE CHORION REMOVED, THE EGGS THAT ARE LAID FIRST ARE THE LAST TO HATCH (PROBABLY DUE TO THE GRADIENT OF OXYGEN TENSION BETWEEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM EGGS) *TN5176*, THE MALE GUARDS THE FRY ONLY UNTIL THEY LEAVE THE NEST *TN5071* BEHAVIOR: LARVAE MAY TRAVEL IN SCHOOLS FOR SEVERAL DAYS OR WEEKS, AFTER DISPERSAL THEY FEED SINGLY IN QUIET, SHALLOW WATER OVER SAND BARS, AROUND DRIFT PILES, AND AMONG ROCKS, SOME JUVENILES WINTER UNDER BOULDERS IN RATHER SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER *TN5176*, DURING DAYLIGHT ADULTS RETIRE TO DEEP WATER OR LIE ABOUT SUBMERGED LOGS OR OTHER COVER, AT NIGHT THEY MOVE ONTO RIFFLES OR INTO THE SHALLOWS OF POOLS TO FEED *TN5071*, FOOD IS DETECTED BY TOUCH AND SMELL AND POSSIBLY TO SOME EXTENT BY SIGHT, FEEDS MOST ACTIVELY FROM SUNDOWN TO ABOUT MIDNIGHT AT WATER TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 10 AND 34.4 DEGREES C, RARELY FEEDS IN WINTER AND ADULTS DO NOT APPEAR TO FEED DURING BREEDING SEASON, ARE MOST ACTIVE WHEN WATER LEVELS ARE RISING, THEY THEN SEARCH FOR FOOD WASHED INTO THE STREAM, OFTEN FEEDING IN SUBMERGED GRASSY AREAS WHICH ACT AS STRAINERS THAT CATCH AND HOLD ALL KINDS OF FOOD, SOME CANNIBALISM ON THE YOUNG BY CATFISH 306 MM OR OVER HAS BEEN NOTED AND WAS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE DENSITY OF YOUNG PRESENT *TN5176* POPULATION PARAMETERS: MINIMUM SIZE OF FRY AT HATCHING IS ABOUT 6.4 MM, FEW LIVE MORE THAN 8 YEARS BUT OCCASIONALLY SOME OVER 15 YEARS ARE TAKEN *TN5176*
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References for Life History Codes
817, 789, 842, 4205
Comments on Life History Codes