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Ictalurus furcatus

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Blue Catfish Species are huge river fish found in major river systems’ main channels, tributaries, and impoundments. The blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) is the largest species of North American catfish. In some locations, like the Chesapeake Bay, the fish is considered an invasive nuisance. Because it can survive brackish water, it can colonize coastal inland waterways.

The Santee Cooper lakes of Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie in South Carolina, the James River in Virginia, Powerton Lake in Pekin, Illinois, and Lake Springfield in Springfield, Illinois, have all been stocked with these huge catfish. In Texas, the blue catfish is the largest freshwater sportfish.

A man carrying a large Blue catfish on a boat
credit:outdoorlife.com

The fish have thrived in Virginia’s rivers, lakes, tributaries, and the Chesapeake Bay due to their ability to endure a broad range of climates and brackish water. Unfortunately, the blue catfish is considered a problematic invasive species in Virginia due to its low death rate, huge body size, a wide range of food species, and success as a predator.

Distribution

The Mississippi River watershed, which includes the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas Rivers, the Des Moines River in South Central Iowa, and the Rio Grande, and south along the Gulf Coast to Belize and Guatemala, is home to blue catfish. Blue catfish are indigenous to the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi river basins. The range also stretches south across Texas, Mexico, and Guatemala’s northern region. It is not found in Texas’ northwestern regions, including the Panhandle, but is found in bigger rivers throughout the state.

Body Description of Blue Catfish Species

The fish are frequently mistaken for channel catfish; Blue Catfish Species. Blue catfish feature a dorsal hump, are heavy-bodied, and blueish gray in appearance. Counting the number of rays on the anal fin is the best way to detect the difference between a channel catfish and a Blue Catfish Species. The rays on a blue catfish are 30–36, while the rays on a channel catfish are 25–29.  The fish have a forked tail and are similar in appearance to channel catfish.

Image of a blue catfish mouth open
credit:nps.gov

For feeding on the bottom, they have huge heads with down-turned mouths. Dark spots can be found on a channel catfish. Barbels, a deeply forked tail, and a projecting upper jaw are all features of blue catfish. 165 centimeters (65 inches) in length and 68 kg in weight (150 lb)

Habitat

They are primarily found in big river systems, where they can be found in main channels, tributaries, and impoundments. In the summer, they migrate upstream in search of cooler temperatures, while in the winter, they migrate downstream in quest of warmer water.

Spawning

Their spawning behavior is similar to that of a channel catfish, however, they do not attain sexual maturity until they are 24 inches long. They eat a variety of foods before becoming piscivorous as adults. The female deposits egg masses into cavities in logs or any other bottom structure during spawning in late spring or early summer. After the eggs are laid, both male and female catfish monitor the nest until it hatches. In Texas, the blue catfish is the largest freshwater sport fish.

Diets

A blue catfish navigating through the water
credit:in-fisherman.com

The blue catfish eats a variety of foods, but it prefers to consume fish while it is young. Despite the fact that invertebrates still make up the majority of the food, they can grow to be quite large. Adult Asian carp can only be eaten by blue catfish, which are one of the few fish species in the Mississippi River basin that can do so. They are opportunistic predators who will consume any type of fish they can catch, as well as crawfish, freshwater mussels, frogs, and other aquatic food sources.

Blue Catfish Species are known for feeding beneath marauding swarms of striped bass in open water in reservoirs or feasting on wounded baitfish that have been washed over dam spillways or power-generation turbines, making catching their prey all the easier. They usually weigh between 20 and 40 pounds and can live for up to 40 years. They can grow to be as huge as 115 pounds

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