brown bullhead
Ameiurus nebulosus
Freshwater catfish of North America, introduced to Chile and Puerto Rico, where it is exotic. It turns up on the line of anglers and is raised for food.
Also called: bagre-marmorado, barbú torito, brown bullhead
- maximum
- 55 cm
- record/max.
- 2.7 kg
- depth
- 0–12 m
who is the brown bullhead
Catfish of the family Ictaluridae, freshwater, that reaches 55 cm and weighs up to 2.7 kg. It lives in pools and slow currents, over soft bottoms, in streams and rivers of small to large size, as well as lakes, reservoirs and lagoons. It tolerates water with low oxygen and high temperatures, and can bury itself in mud to escape poor conditions. It feeds at night on mollusks, insects, leeches, crayfish and plankton. It is edible and is also raised in aquaculture. In some places it is considered a pest.
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 brown bullhead; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- The nest is built by one or both sexes, and the eggs are cared for by one or both parents.
identification
Scaleless catfish with barbels around the mouth and strong spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins. It is often confused with the black bullhead, which looks very similar. Maximum size helps a little: this species reaches 55 cm, and the black bullhead reaches 66 cm.
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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 North America, from Canada to Alabama, and introduced to Chile and Puerto Rico. It is not recorded in Brazil.
Habitat: Pools and slow currents, over soft bottoms of streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. The source describes the species as a nocturnal feeder.
rules for the brown bullhead
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.
The spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins can cut. Handle it with care. In some countries it caused ecological impact after its introduction, so do not release it into waters where it does not occur.
in the kitchen
It is edible and is often hot-smoked or cooked in several ways.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00832, b = 3.12; 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 nebulosus (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 nebulosusNames by country and language.
