Description

Blue Channel Catfish are good scavengers for the aquarium or pond.
Here is a little background on our blue channel catfish or Ictalurus furcatus. The Blue Channel catfish have a small, narrow head. The back of the catfish is blue-gray with light blue to silver/grey sides and a white underbelly with some spots on the sides. Larger channel catfish lose the black spots and generally take on a blue-black coloration on the back. The male channel catfish becomes very dark during spawning season and develops a thick pad on their head. They prefer to live in an environment with some current, and deep water with sand, gravel or ruff bottoms. Blue Channel catfish also inhabit streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and ponds. They also adapt well in standing water where stocked. Annual spawning occurs mostly in rivers and streams in the spring and early summer when waters warm to 70 to 85 degrees.
By the way Ictalurus furcatus means Ictalurus for fish cat and Furcatus means forked, referring to this species’ deeply forked caudal fin.