Habitat: Occurs
in pools and sluggish runs over soft substrates in
creeks and small to large rivers. Also found in impoundments,
lakes, and ponds. Rarely enters brackish waters. Aquarium
Care: Bullheads adapt well to aquarium conditions
but do bare in mind that they 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. Diet:
A nocturnal feeder that feeds mollusks, insects, leeches,
crayfish and plankton, worms, algae, plant material,
fishes and has been reported to feed on eggs of least
cisco, herring and lake trout. Juveniles (3-6 cm)
feed mostly on chironomid larvae, cladocerans, ostracods,
amphipods, bugs and mayflies. Etymology:
The specific name nebulosus: Clouded,
dark or mottled. Remarks:
Can tolerate high carbon dioxide and low oxygen concentrations
and temperatures up to 31.6 °C although experiments
show upper lethal temp. to be 37.5 °C; resistant
to domestic and industrial pollution. Has been observed
to bury itself in mud to escape adverse environmental
conditions.
Common
Name:
Brown Bullhead
Synonyms:
Ictalurus nebulosus
marmoratus, I. nebulosus nebulosus, Amieurus vulgaris,
A. lacustris, A. cactus, A. nebulosus, Pimelodus atrarius,
P. cactus, P. felis, P. vulgaris, P. nebulosus, Silurus
nigrescens, S. coenosus.
Family:
Ictaluridae
Distribution:
North America:
Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages from Nova Scotia
and New Brunswick in Canada to Mobile Bay in
Alabama in USA, and St. Lawrence- Great Lakes,
Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins from Quebec
west to Saskatchewan in Canada and south to Louisiana,
USA. Introduced into several countries. Several
countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
Asia: Iran and Turkey (introduced).
Size:
48.0cm. (19¼ins)
Temp:
08-30°C (45-87°F)
p.H.
6.0-7.5.
IUCN
Red List
Listed
as Least Concern in view of the large range extent,
large population size, stable or increasing trend, and
lack of major threats. (Needs updating IUCN 2013).
Reference:
Froese, R. and D. Pauly.
Editors. 2009. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic
publication. www.fishbase.org, version (04/2010). NatureServe. 2013. Ameiurus nebulosus.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013. ScotCat
Factsheetno. 08. May 1997. Sterba's
Freshwater fishes of the World Vol.1 197.
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