Ameiurus
melas (Rafinesque, 1820)
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| Image
contributors to this species: |
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David
Proudfit (1)
Allan James (1)
Jeff & Dorrie Sacksteder
(3) Frants Lehmann (1 Stamp) Johnny
Jensen's Photographic Library
(2) |
| ScotCat
Sources: |
  
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| Other
Sources: |
 
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| Relevant
Information: |
Inhabits pools, backwaters,
and sluggish current over soft substrates in creeks and small
to large rivers; impoundments, oxbows, and ponds. Nocturnal feeder,
young consume immature insects, leeches, and crustaceans while
adults also feed on clams, snails, plant material, and fishes.
Are susceptible of being caught, where they are abundant, with
baited lines intended for other species. Is considered a nuisance.
Often misidentified as A.nebulosus.
The North American ' Black Bullhead' adapts well to aquarium conditions
but do bare in mind that it does grow big along with the capable
size of its mouth! so if housing with other temperate fish you
would be better going for larger stock such as yellow perch or
the larger sunfishes. Putting them in with goldfish is not a good
idea, not for the poor goldfish anyway!. They adapt well to most
aquarium conditions as long as you give them a cave of some sort
and to keep the lighting down to a minimum for viewing purposes. |
| Common
Name: |
Black Bullhead
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| Synonyms: |
Silurus
melas, Ictalurus melas |
| Family: |
Ictaluridaelycipitidae |
| Distribution: |
North America:
North American Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, Mississippi River basin
and Gulf Coast basins; introduced elsewhere. Type locality:
Ohio River. |
| Size:
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40cm.
(16ins) |
| Temp: |
08
-30°C (45-87°F) |
| p.H. |
6.0-7.5. |
| Reference: |
Ferraris, C.J.
Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil
(Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary
types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
ScotCat Factsheet no. 05. March 1997.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2009.FishBase.
World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version
(04/2010). |
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Family:
Ictaluridae
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| Click
on thumbnails |
Ameiurus melas
Youngster
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 Ameiurus
melas
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 Ameiurus
melas
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 Ameiurus
melas
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 Ameiurus
melas
Dorsal view
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 Ameiurus
melas
Stamp
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 Ameiurus
melas
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 Ameiurus
melas
Head view
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