AquaticRepublic.com - Ameiurus catus (Ictaluridae) All Fishes

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Ameiurus catus** (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common Names	North American White Catfish Hvid Dværgmalle (Denmark)
Type Locality	"Northern part of North America".
Synonym(s)	Amiurus lophius, Amiurus niveiventris, Ichthaelurus kevinskii, Ichthyaelurus mccaskei, Ictalurus catus, Pimelodus lynx, Silurus catus
Pronunciation	Ai MEE you russ - cat uss
Etymology	Ameiurus: ''curtailed'' refers to the lack of a deep notch in the caudal fin. catus: cat
Species Information
Size	950mm or 37.4" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Sometimes confused with the Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. The white catfish has 22-24 anal rays while the channel cat has 25-28. The white catfish is sort of on the cusp, showing characteristics of both Ictalurus and Ameiurus.
Sexing	The dorsum of breeding males is a dark gray.
General Remarks	Native to the Atlantic drainage systems of the U.S. but now introduced to many other states including California and Nevada.
Habitat Information
Distribution	North America: Rivers of the Atlantic coastal states of USA from Florida to New York. Trade restricted in Germany (Anl.3 BArtSchV). North American Atlantic Drainages (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2011.
pH	6.6 - 8.6
Temperature	10.0-23.0°C or 50-73.4°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters	Very tolerant of brackish water. These fish are often found near deltas where a river meets the sea. The pictured fish was captured in the York River, Virginia just a few miles upstream from the ocean.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Omnivorous. Diet includes fish, aquatic inverts and some green matter. User data.
Furniture	Sand substrate with logs and stones to provide hiding places.
Compatibility	Sociable with anything they can not swallow.
Breeding	Not accomplished in the aquarium. Suggest overwintering in a pond. Move the fish indoors to a large tank in the spring. The male will dig a nest and the fish should spawn as the water is gently warmed over a few days to 21C. Since they are sexually mature at six inches, this would be a good candidate for the expert looking to try something new.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Systema Naturae, Ed. X v. 1, pp 305.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There is but a single record of this fish being seen, view it.
Forum BBCode

	Look up A. catus on PlanetCatfish.com
	Look up A. catus on Fishbase
	Look up A. catus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up A. catus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.5.20.263
Last Update	2025 Jan 02 01:38 (species record created: 2001 Apr 25 00:00)