white catfish
Ameiurus catus
A large catfish of fresh and brackish water, native to the Atlantic coast of the United States and introduced to Puerto Rico. It turns up now and then on the line.
Also called: bagre-cabeçudo, barbú cabezón, white catfish
- maximum
- 95 cm
- record/max.
- 9.8 kg
who is the white catfish
Catfish of the family Ictaluridae, of fresh and brackish water, that reaches 95 cm and weighs up to 9.8 kg. It lives in pools, backwaters and slow currents, over mud bottoms, in rivers of small to large size, lakes and reservoirs. It also occurs in brackish water. It feeds on many kinds of fish, insects and crustaceans. It is used in subsistence fishing and turns up now and then on the line of rod anglers.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the white catfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Scaleless catfish with barbels around the mouth. Of the catfishes of the same genus, it is the largest: it reaches 95 cm, versus 66 cm for the black bullhead, 60 cm for the yellow bullhead and 55 cm for the brown bullhead. Strong spines on the pectoral and dorsal fins are a trait of the family.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Native to the Atlantic coast of the United States, from Florida to New York, and introduced to Puerto Rico. It is not recorded in Brazil.
Habitat: Pools, backwaters and slow currents, with mud bottoms, in fresh and brackish water.
rules for the white catfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It has fin spines that can cut. Handle it with care, holding it by the body, without squeezing the head.
in the kitchen
It is caught for subsistence, that is, for the consumption of the people who catch it.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00759, b = 3.09; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Ameiurus catus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Ameiurus catusNames by country and language.
