/ictaluridae/ameiurus/natalis/1.jpg "Ameiurus natalis(1) - Click to enlarge")
/ictaluridae/ameiurus/natalis/2.jpg "Ameiurus natalis(2) - Click to enlarge")
/ictaluridae/ameiurus/natalis/3.jpg "Ameiurus natalis(3) - Click to enlarge")
/ictaluridae/ameiurus/natalis/4.jpg "Ameiurus natalis(4) - Click to enlarge")
/ictaluridae/ameiurus/natalis/5.jpg "Ameiurus natalis(5) - Click to enlarge")
/ictaluridae/ameiurus/natalis/6.jpg "Ameiurus natalis(6) - Click to enlarge")
/ictaluridae/ameiurus/natalis/7.jpg "Ameiurus natalis(7) Close-up of head - Click to enlarge")
 Cat-eLog Data Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ameiurus natalis (Lesueur, 1819) |
| Common Name(s) | Butter Catfish, White Whiskered Bullhead, Yellow Belly Catfish, Yellow Bullhead |
| Type Locality | Upper Canada. |
| Synonym(s) | Ictalurus natalis, Pimelodus natalis |
| Pronunciation | Ai MEE you russ - nay taal iss |
| Etymology | Ameiurus: ''curtailed'' refers to the lack of a deep notch in the caudal fin. The specific etymology comes from the Latin ''nates'' or buttocks, probably in reference to the enlarged cheek muscles of breeding males. |
| Species Information | |
| Size | 420mm (16.5") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp. |
| Identification | The yellow, brown and black bullheads look very similar to each other, but the yellow bullhead is easily distinguished from the other two species by their yellow or white (vs. dusky or black) mandibular barbels. |
| Sexing | Males have an elongate genital papilla. Breeding males have greatly expanded head muscles. |
| Habitat Information | |
| Distribution | North America: native to Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages from New York to northern Mexico, and St. Lawrence-Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins from southern Quebec west to central North Dakota. Widely introduced outside native range. North American Atlantic Drainages (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there) Gulf Coast Drainages, Mississippi (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there) Great Lakes (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there) Gulf Coast Drainages (hover or click on these areas to show maps or find other species found there) |
| pH | 6.0 - 8.0 |
| Temperature | 5.0-25.0°C or 41-77°F (Show others within this range) |
| Other Parameters | A hardy fish that can live in a wide variety of conditions. Able to withstand lower temperatures, so heating is not necessary. Can be maintained in outdoor ponds if winters are mild. |
| Husbandry Information | |
| Feeding | In the wild, the yellow bullhead feeds on crustaceans, aquatic insects, worms, beetles and small fishes. Not a fussy feeder in captivity, taking both prepared and frozen food readily. Will eat smaller fishes if given the chance. |
| Furniture | Inhabits streams and lakes with sandy bottoms. Best maintained in an aquarium of 55 gallons or larger. Provide ample hiding places. |
| Compatibility | Peaceful both with other fish. Conspecifics may establish a dominance order based on size. Should not be kept with tankmates small enough to be eaten. |
| Suggested Tankmates | Larger North American native fishes like sunfish and yellow perch, given its propensity for eating smaller tankmates. |
| Breeding | Breeding occurs primarily in the late spring and early summer. Shallow nests are prepared by one or both parents, by fanning the pelvic, anal and caudal fins, shoving material out with their snout, or picking up material in their mouth and carrying them away from the nest. During spawning, the fish lie side by side, facing in opposite directions and twisting their caudal fins over the eyes and head of each other. About 650-7000 eggs are laid, with the eggs, which are yellowish and are about 2.5-3.0 mm in diameter, hatching in about 5-10 days. The male then guards the nest, fanning the egg mass, yawning widely over the nest, or even taking the egg mass into the mouth (possibly to aerate them). Upon hatching, the young cluster together in a mass at the bottom of the nest, and the adult fish may approach the mass and agitate it with their barbels; this apparently moves the larvae near the bottom of the mass to its surface. The fry are guarded until they reach about 25 mm TL. |
| Further Information | |
| References | Mem. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat.v. 5 - pp154 A Field Guide To Freshwater Fishes North America North American Native Fishes for the Home Aquarium American Aquarium Fishes |
| Registered Keepers | (1) DeepFriedIctalurus, (2) Silurus, (3) Demon_fish, (4) neolamp, (5) Belial, who also notes: "my favorite type of catfish hooray", (6) orspearo666, who also notes: "wild caught specimen. eats well and is growing very fast", (7) fishlvr, (8) bapachu (p: 2), (9) EMax, (10) Timberwolf, (11) jpac716. Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.  Add this species to your "my cats" page. |
| Breeding Reports | None. |
| More Resources |
 - CotM  2003 November -
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| Hits | 16242 hits. |
| Last Update | 2005 Aug 21 00:00 (species record created: 2001 Apr 25 00:00) |
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