|
Name: |
Channel Catfish |
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Other Common
Names: |
Spotted cat, fiddler, channel cat, blue channel, river cat, white cat, willow cat, speckled cat, forked tail cat, silver cat |
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Scientific Name: |
Ictalurus punctatus |
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Diet: |
Feeds at night on crayfish, fish, insects, and a variety of other natural foods |
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Habitat: |
Prefers moving water with clean gravel, sand, or rocky bottom |
|
Length: |
Average length is 12 to 20 inches |
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Identification: |
Silvery-gray above fading to lighter shades on the belly; body marked with dark spots (may be obscure in adults); tail fin deeply forked; may reach lengths of about 20 inches by 10 years of age |
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Photo & text
courtesy of: |
Iowa Department of Natural Resources Iowa Fish and Fishing by James R. Harlan and Everett B. Speaker with James Mayhew; color illustrations by Maynard F. Reece Fishes of Wisconsin by George C. Becker Fishes of Indiana published by Indiana Department of Conservation, Division of Fish and Game (1964) |