black buffalo
Ictiobus niger
Large freshwater fish of North America, present in Mexico and introduced to Cuba, up to 123 cm. It appears in commercial and sport fishing and is raised in aquaculture.
Also called: búfalo-negro, matalote negro, black buffalo
- maximum
- 123 cm
- record/max.
- 28.7 kg
who is the black buffalo
The black buffalo is a fish of the family Catostomidae, the freshwater suckers, and reaches 123 cm and 28.7 kg. It is native to North America, in the Great Lakes and Mississippi basins and in the Gulf rivers, down to Mexico, and was introduced to Cuba, where it is exotic. It lives in ponds, backwaters and calm stretches of small to large rivers, and also in reservoirs and lakes. Adults eat mollusks, algae, diatoms and crustaceans. It has little importance in commercial fishing, is raised in aquaculture and is also listed as 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 black buffalo; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- There is a record of a specimen aged 24 years.
identification
Fish with a fusiform body and a mouth under the head, facing downward, a typical trait of catostomids. It has no teeth in the mouth. Its relatives in the same family, such as the bigmouth buffalo and the river carpsucker, have a similar body; the bigmouth buffalo has a much larger mouth, and the location and shape of the mouth are the guides.
Loading the next 7 days…
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 central-eastern United States, in the lower Great Lakes and Mississippi basins, and to Mexico, in rivers of the Gulf slope. It was introduced to Cuba, where it is exotic.
Habitat: Lagoons, backwaters and calm stretches of rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
rules for the black 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 = 0.01175, b = 3.05; 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
—
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 niger (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 nigerNames by country and language.
