Channel catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
Where at Shedd?
At Home on the Great Lakes
| Diet | Small fish, crustaceans, clams, snails and insects |
|---|---|
| Size | Length: Up to 4.25 feet (132 cm); common length 22.4 inches (57 cm) |
| Type | Fishes |
| Range | North America |
| Habitat | Freshwaters of central United States, southern Canada and northern Mexico; widely introduced |
Did you know?
- This scaleless fish has taste buds all over its body—with plenty on the “whiskers” around its mouth. They help the fish sense food.
- “Channel cats” are popular sport fish—because they taste good and they’re easy to catch. (They go for worms and smelly bait.)
- Since night is its time for feeding, the channel catfish spends its days in deeper water or sheltered in deep holes or overhangs.
- This popular fish is the official state fish of Nebraska and Missouri, the state commercial fish of Tennessee, and Iowa’s unofficial state fish.