Freshwater Fishes of the Columbia Basin Return to Table of Contents Return to Species List

Introduced Fishes: Family Ichtaluridae (Catfish)

Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque)	Black Catfish (left)
Ameiurus nebulosus (Lesueur)	Brown Catfish (right)
Ameiuru=Nearctic cat-fish mela=black nebulosus=clouded

Catfish are generally a nocturnal fish native to North America east of the Continental Divide. In 1941, C.G. Carl recorded collecting several Black Catfish specimens from Osysoos Lake, B.C. It is likely that these fish originated from Washington State via the Okanagan River and thoughtless public transplants (Carl et al. 1967; Forbes and Flook 1985).

Catfish are rarely found in clear running water and prefer ponds, sloughs and backwaters. Ichtalurid fish are a robust exotic fish family that are tolerant of high water temperatures and low, dissolved oxygen concentrations. Catfish are opportunistic bottom feeders that forage for insects crustaceans, worms, snails fish eggs and plant material.

Spawning takes place during late spring when water temperatures reach about

15°C. Females dig a circular depression among dense vegetation in sand or mud that serves as a nest, and both sexes circle each other in courtship before the female deposits her eggs for fertilization. The eggs develop rapidly, hatching in five to seven days, depending on water temperature, and are guarded by both parents until the young are several weeks old (Breder and Rosen 1966).

Catfish are currently distributed in the lower Columbia, lower Kootenay and Okanagan systems. Catfish can be identified by their wide head, large mouth with eight long barbels, scaleless skin and prominent adipose fin. The Black Catfish (Ameiurus melas) and Brown Catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus) are often confused for one another. The pectoral spines of the Brown Catfish are serrated along their posterior edge, unlike the Black Catfish. Also, the Brown Catfish lacks inky black membranes between its finrays, which are present on the Black Catfish.