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Great Lakes Water Life Photo GalleryFishBullhead Catfishes |
Family: Ictaluridae - Bullhead Catfishes
Family
Profile - University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Family
Profile - Fishes of New York State
Distribution and Habitat
N = Native, I = Introduced (exotic), X = Extinct, P = Extirpated
| Image/Link | Scientific Name | Common Name | Lake Superior | Lake Michigan | Lake Huron |
Lake Erie | Lake Ontario | Habitat |
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Ameiurus catus | white catfish | I | river/littoral | ||||
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Ameiurus melas | black bullhead | N | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral |
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Ameiurus natalis | yellow bullhead | N | N | N | N | river/littoral | |
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Ameiurus nebulosus | brown bullhead | N | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral |
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Ictalurus punctatus | channel catfish | N | N | N | N | river/littoral | |
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Noturus flavus | stonecat | N | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river |
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Noturus gyrinus | tadpole madtom | N | N | N | N | stream/creek/river/littoral | |
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Noturus insignis | margined madtom | I | stream/creek/river, tributaries only | ||||
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Noturus miurus | brindled madtom | N | N | stream/creek/littoral | |||
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Noturus stigmosus | northern madtom | N | stream/creek/river, tributaries only | ||||
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Pylodictis olivaris | flathead catfish | N | N | river/littoral |
Table modified from "The Life of the Lakes: A Guide to the Great Lakes Fishery" MI Sea Grant Extension, Michigan State University.
Species Profiles
Ameiurus catus - white catfish |
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| Scientific
Profile - University of Michigan Museum of Zoology |
Stocked in Lake Erie. |
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Ameiurus melas (aka Ictalurus) - black bullhead |
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Black bullheads have black or gray barbels, yellow bullhead has white. Found in shallow and often silty water - high tolerance for turbidity and low oxygen. This bottom dweller is considered a scavenger (eats dead things) and an opportunist (eats whatever comes its way). Both young and adult black bullhead eat insects (all stages), clams, snails, waterfleas and other small-crustaceans, crayfish, leeches, and even plant material. Adults eat small fish, including other bullheads, but fish are really a small part of their diet. Length to 50cm. The state record in Minnesota is 6 kg (3 lb, 13 oz). | |
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Other drawings/artwork: Other photos: |
Ameiurus natalis (aka Ictalurus) - yellow bullhead |
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Black bullheads have black or gray barbels, yellow bullhead has white. More common than other bullheads in clean, vegetated waters. Eat fish, aquatic invertebrates, crayfish, larvae, crustaceans. | |
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Other photos: |
Ameiurus nebulosus (aka Ictalurus) - brown bullhead |
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Commonly in weedy, deeper waters. Eat crayfish and aquatic invertebrates. | |
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Other drawings/artwork: Other photos: |
Ictalurus punctatus - channel catfish |
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Found in bays, boat channels, harbors and along rocky shorelines. Prefer deep water with clean gravel or boulder substrates, and low to moderate current. Channel catfish feed most actively from sundown to midnight near and on the bottom. They consume a huge variety of foods, including aquatic insect larvae, crayfish, clams, green algae, water plants, worms, and many kinds of small fish. Weight may exceed 40 lbs in our waters. Length to 60 cm. The Minnesota's state record for this fish is 17.3 kg (38 lbs, 0 oz). | ||
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Other drawings/artwork: Other photos: |
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Noturus flavus - stonecat |
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Eat small fish, aquatic invertebrates. | |
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Additional Photos: |
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Noturus gyrinus - tadpole madtom |
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Characteristically in weedy habitats with moderate to sluggish current and muddy bottom. This private, bottom-dwelling fish feeds mostly at night when it comes out of its daytime hiding places. It eats mostly aquatic insect larvae, waterfleas and other small crustaceans, and worms. Occasionally it consumes snails, fish eggs, and smaller fish as well as algae and other aquatic plants. Length to 12cm. |
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Noturus insignis - margined madtom |
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Invading Lake Ontario from the mid-Atlantic, probable introduction via bait-transfer. |
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Additional Photos:
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Noturus miurus - brindled madtom |
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| Scientific
Profile - University of Michigan Museum of Zoology |
Generally in riffles of faster waters but sometimes in quiet weedy places and sand-clay habitats; rare on muddy bottoms. |
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Noturus stigmosus - northern madtom |
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Pylodictis olivaris - flathead catfish |
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A large river form; young commonly under stones on riffles. Flathead catfish are mainly a "lie-in-wait" predator. They rest on the bottom by large rocks, logs, or other debris, often with their mouths open. When other fish swim near, they grab them with their huge mouths. They will eat any fish that makes the mistake of getting too close. Young flatheads eat a variety of aquatic insects, crayfish, small fish, and worms, but they soon move on to eating fish. Unlike bullhead and channel catfish, flatheads rarely eat dead or decaying animal matter. Length to 1m; weight in excess of 50 lbs in our waters. The Minnesota hook and line record is 31.8-kg (70 lbs). | |
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