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Description:
Channel catfish are easily distinguished from all others, except blue catfish, by their deeply forked tail fin. Unlike
flathead catfish, the upper jaw projects beyond the lower jaw. Coloration is olive-brown to slate-blue on the back
and sides, shading to silvery-white on the belly. Typically, numerous small, black spots are present, but may be
obscured in large adults. The anal fin has 24-29 soft rays, in contrast to the blue catfish which always has 30 or
more rays in the anal fin.

Life History:
Channel catfish spawn in late spring or early summer when water temperatures reach 75°F. Males select nest
sites which are normally dark secluded areas such as cavities in drift piles, logs, undercut banks, rocks, cans,
etc. Channel catfish less than 4 inches in length feed primarily on small insects. Adults are largely omnivorous,
feeding on insects, mollusks, crustaceans, fish, and even some plant material.

Habitat:
Channel catfish are most abundant in large streams with low or moderate current


Description:
Blue catfish have a forked tail, and are sometimes very similar to channel catfish. However, only the Rio Grande
population has dark spots on the back and sides. The number of rays in the anal fin is typically 30-35, and
coloration is usually slate blue on the back, shading to white on the belly.

Life History:
The spawning behavior of blue catfish appears to be similar to that of channel catfish. However, most blue
catfish are not sexually mature until they reach about 24 inches in length. Like channel catfish, the blue catfish
pursues a varied diet, but it tends to eat fish earlier in life. Although invertebrates still comprise the major portion
of the diet, blue catfish as small as four inches in length have been known to consume fish. Individuals larger
than eight inches eat fish and large invertebrates. Blue catfish commonly attain weights of 20 to 40 pounds, and
may reach weights well in excess of 100 pounds.

Habitat:
Blue catfish are primarily large-river fish, occurring in main channels, tributaries, and impoundments of major
river systems. They tend to move upstream in the summer in search of cooler temperatures, and downstream in
the winter in order to find warmer water.


Description:
As the common name suggests, this catfish has a flat head, but other than that, it looks like any other catfish: it
has smooth, scaleless skin, whisker-like barbels around the mouth, and long, sharp spines on the dorsal (back)
fin and one on each side of the pectoral (shoulder) fin.
Flathead catfish reach a length of 3 to 4 feet and their weight can exceed 100 pounds. Flathead catfish are
typically pale yellow to light brown on the back and sides, and highly mottled with black and/or brown. The belly is
usually pale yellow or cream colored. The head is broadly flattened, with a projecting lower jaw. The tail fin is only
slightly notched, not deeply forked as is the case with blue and channel catfish.

Life History:
Unlike other catfish which are scavengers, Flatheads prey only on live fish. Young flathead catfish feed mostly on
invertebrates such as worms, insects and crayfish. When 10 inches or larger, their diet consists entirely of
fish-shad, carp, suckers, sunfish, largemouth bass and other catfish (including their own kind). Spawning season
is from late May through August, when the water temperature is between 75° and 80° F.
Average lifespan of the flathead catfish is 12 to 14 years, but one recorded flathead catfish lived 24 years.

Habitat:
Flathead catfish prefer deep pools of streams, rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs, where the water is turbid
(cloudy) and the currents are slow.
Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)
Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)