bigmouth buffalo
Ictiobus cyprinellus
Large freshwater fish of North America, up to 123 cm, introduced to Cuba. It eats plankton, is raised in aquaculture and appears in commercial and sport fishing.
Also called: búfalo-de-boca-grande, bigmouth buffalo
- maximum
- 123 cm
- record/max.
- 31.9 kg
who is the bigmouth buffalo
The bigmouth buffalo is a fish of the family Catostomidae and reaches 123 cm and 31.9 kg. It occurs in Canada and the United States, in the Hudson Bay, Great Lakes and Mississippi basins, and was introduced to Cuba, where it is exotic. It lives in main channels, backwaters and lakes, in water less than 5 meters deep. It eats zooplankton, such as cladocerans and copepods, and mosquito larvae. It has a small commercial fishery, is raised in aquaculture and is also a sport fish.
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 bigmouth buffalo; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It can live up to 26 years, according to records for the species.
identification
Fish with a fusiform, tall body and no teeth in the mouth. The most useful sign is the popular name: a large, oblique mouth facing forward, unlike the underslung mouth of other catostomids with a similar body, such as the black buffalo. The plankton diet also helps separate the two species.
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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, in the Hudson Bay, Great Lakes and Mississippi basins, from Canada to the Gulf. It was introduced to Cuba.
Habitat: Main channels, backwaters and lakes, in water less than 5 meters deep.
rules for the bigmouth buffalo
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.
A large, strong fish: hold it with both hands, support the body and return it promptly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01122, b = 3.03; 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: Ictiobus cyprinellus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Ictiobus cyprinellusNames by country and language.
