Why are flathead catfish invasive

Northeastern Naturalist 12 4 Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Pylodictis olivaris. Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. Fact Sheet - Flathead Catfish. Skip to main content. An official website of the United States government.

Here's how you know. View all resources. Scientific Name:. Common Name:. Native To:. Mississippi and Gulf drainages Brown et al. It is the user's responsibility to use these data consistent with their intended purpose and within stated limitations. We highly recommend reviewing metadata files prior to interpreting these data. Citation information: U. Geological Survey.

Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. Gainesville, Florida. Contact us if you are using data from this site for a publication to make sure the data are being used appropriately and for potential co-authorship if warranted. For queries involving fish, please contact Matthew Neilson. For queries involving invertebrates, contact Amy Benson.

Common name: Flathead Catfish. Taxonomy: available through www. Identification: Projecting lower jaw, pale tips on tail fin, short anal fin. Size: cm Page and Burr They prefer deep, sluggish pools, with logs and other submerged debris that can be used as cover. Young P. Means of Introduction: The Flathead Catfish has been intentionally stocked in most cases. In Idaho, however, flatheads were accidentally stocked instead of blue catfish Simpson and Wallace Populations in the Apalachicola River, Florida, probably spread from introductions upstream in the Flint River, Georgia.

It is believed that flatheads were stocked by anglers circa in the vicinity of Potato Creek in Upson County, Georgia, with stock from the Tennessee drainage Quinn The species was apparently first stocked in the Cape Fear River in when 11 sexually mature fish were released near Fayetteville, North Carolina, by North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission biologists Guire et al.

Flatheads were stocked in Atlantic drainages Savannah and Altamaha in Georgia in the s Bart et al. Jennings, personal communication. According to Bart et al. The first known reports of this fish in California were recorded catches made in the lower Colorado River near Yuma in Dill and Cordone Minckley reported that the species was introduced prior to into the Gila River system, a tributary of the Colorado River; however, Dill and Cordone indicated that, as far as is known, the Flathead Catfish was not taken in the lower Colorado River basin until after Stefferud, personal communication.

It is not known how the species gained access to the upper reach of this river. In Wisconsin, flatheads probably entered the Wolf and Fox drainages via the canal at Portage Becker The Ochlockonee River introduction in Florida and Georgia was probably due to illegal stocking by anglers with fish from the nearby Apalachicola River, where the fish had also been introduced.

The flathead's presence in eastern Pennsylvania is most likely due to stock contamination of channel catfish shipments M.

Kaufman, personal communication. Status: The Flathead Catfish has become established in most waters where introduced. For instance, it is widespread and reproducing in the lower Colorado River basin Dill and Cordone As of about , the Cape Fear River population had expanded from the site of its initial release near Fayetteville, North Carolina, and was found to inhabit a kilometer stretch of the river Guire et al.

In samples taken by Guire et al. Establishment in Oregon is uncertain Bond The species does not appear to have survived to reproduce in Wyoming Hubert Impact of Introduction: Many feeding studies have found that Flathead Catfish prey heavily on sunfish Lepomis spp.

Quinn One study found that they reduced the number of common carp Cyprinus carpio and bullheads Ameiurus spp. However, the introduced population in the Flint River system was found to prey largely on crayfish, and that young-of-the-year flatheads fed on darters Etheostoma spp. According to Quinn , introduced flatheads in the Flint River rely more on crayfish than any other catfish population yet described. A severe decline in native fish species, particularly native bullhead species, was observed in the Cape Fear River within 15 years of the first Flathead Catfish introduction Guire et al.

Feeding studies conducted in the Cape Fear River showed that flatheads consume mainly bullheads, catfishes, shad, and sunfishes Guire et al. In , flatheads in the Cape Fear River fed primarily on bullheads.

However, by , bullhead populations had declined and Flathead Catfish had switched to preying on shad Ashley and Buff Diet studies also have been conducted in the Oconee River in Georgia, where this catfish had been implicated in causing declines of native bullheads and sunfishes especially redbreast sunfish Lepomis auritus.

However, findings of that initial study were inconclusive since most of the Flathead Catfish examined had empty stomachs C. Flathead Catfish also may be responsible for declines in other native species in the Altamaha drainage C. In the Ocmulgee River, Georgia, abundances of silver redhorse Moxostoma anisurum , robust redhorse M. This correlation may be due to direct predation. Several authors have reported suckers and catfish as common prey items of flatheads Bart et al.

The snail bullhead and flat bullhead appear to be most affected by the presence of Flathead Catfish in the Ocmulgee drainage Bart et al. It is suspected flatheads may be contributing to the decline of the federally threatened Gulf sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi by consuming the young benthic fish in the Apalachicola River J.

Chin barbels are pale or white. Stocky body with large head. Commonly found " in length, rarely exceeding 6 lbs. No State record exists. Minimum size for consideration is 7 lbs. Common in tidal freshwater but has also been stocked in some non-tidal waters in Maryland. The state record white catfish Chesapeake division is 8. More information about the white catfish can be found on our Fish Facts Page.

Straight or slightly notched tail margin. Light to dark mottled sides and lighter underside with dark chin barbels. Brown bullhead are typically small fish, less than 12" In length, but larger fish can be found. The Maryland state record Bullhead is 3 lbs, 6 oz. Brown bullheads can be found in both tidal freshwater and non—tidal rivers, streams and ponds.

Rounded tail. Some specimens have obvious dark edges on their fins. Yellow bullhead are one of the smaller members of the Ictaluridae Family. Yellow bullhead have cream colored chin barbels which differentiates them from other bullheads. Catfish have spines on the dorsal fin and pectoral fines near the head.

Anglers often get punctured by these spines when handling catfish. The spines have mild venom, however it is not deadly. Be careful when handling.

The barbels "whiskers" have taste buds that assist catfish in finding food.