how fast does a blue catfish grow

What is the fastest growing catfish in a pond?

Hybrid Blue Catfish: A Fast-Growing Fish for Your Pond. In fact, our hybrid blue catfish grow at least 30 percent faster than any other catfish species. This means that with managed feeding, a fingerling may weigh up to 5 pounds after just one year. If you enjoy fishing your private pond or lake, you will love the hybrid blue catfish.

What is the average size of a blue catfish?

Blue catfish have four pairs of black whisker-like barbels around their mouths. While adults usually grow to be less than 2 feet long, they can grow to be 5 feet long and weigh more than 100 pounds. Blue catfish can grow to be larger than 100 pounds. One caught in an inland lake on the Virginia–North Carolina border weighed 143 pounds.

How big do channel catfish get?

The average size of channel cats is 2-3 pounds, but the largest ever caught was 58 pounds!! However, most anglers never come close to seeing a catfish that is half as big as this one. In general, channel catfish can grow indefinitely in a pond.

Where do blue catfish live?

The native distribution of blue catfish is primarily in the Mississippi River drainage, including the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas Rivers, and the Rio Grande, and south along the Gulf Coast to Belize and Guatemala..

How fast do catfish grow?

One year old catfish can range from 3 to 8 inches and can grow 3/4 to 1 pound per year after the first year. Often characterized as bottom feeders, catfish are omnivores eating whatever they can find and readily take to artificial feed, growing to large sizes if properly cared for.

How big do blue catfish grow?

Blue catfish have four pairs of black whisker-like barbels around their mouths. While adults usually grow to be less than 2 feet long, they can grow to be 5 feet long and weigh more than 100 pounds.

How long does it take for a catfish to grow to 30 pounds?

Flatheads put on 2-5 pounds a year between 3 and 8 years old. Monster cats grow upward of 10 pounds a year. In some southern rivers and reservoirs, cats have grown as much as 30 pounds in 10 years. Flathead catfish reach sexual maturity between the ages of 4 and 6 and have an average life span of 20 years.

Can you stock a pond with blue catfish?

A well-managed pond which has been properly stocked with blue or channel catfish can produce from 400 to 1,000 pounds of catfish per surface acre per year, suit- able for recreational fishing or for harvesting as a food source. Proper pond management starts with prepara- tion for stocking.

Which catfish grows the fastest?

“The only difference is that hybrid catfish generally grow much faster and are easier to harvest and process. Farmers can increase production 20 to 30 percent by using hybrids instead of channel catfish.”

What is the lifespan of a blue catfish?

nine to 10 yearsBlue catfish live nine to 10 years on average, though some have been known to live up to 25 years.

How do you make catfish grow faster?

Top tips for improving African catfish farmingMixing locally-sourced ingredients for catfish feed can help boost profit margins.Catfish farmers must keep track of pH, dissolved oxygen and water quality to ensure fish are healthy.Hybrid catfish are resilient, mature quickly and have a high growth rate.

Can catfish take over a pond?

Catfish can sometimes dominate a pond, but the degree and the effects will vary according to the type of catfish, the type of pond, and how you're managing it.

How many catfish can you have in a 1000 gallon tank?

As a general rule, the calculation for how many fish can go into your tank is 1 inch of adult fish per 1 gallon of water, making sure to take 10% of water off for gravel, decorations etc. Wide bodied or territorial species of fish will need double the space, so 1 inch of fish per 2 gallons of water.

How deep should catfish pond be?

Catfish grow best in warm water, with optimum growth occurring at about 85 degrees. Ponds suitable for exclusive channel catfish production should be at least eight feet deep with pond edges sloping quickly to three feet deep to reduce aquatic vegetation problems.

How big can a blue catfish get in a pond?

Blue catfish will also grow much larger than their channel catfish cousins, reaching upwards of 100 pounds in some large reservoirs. But bigger isn't always better. A fish this big is a major competitor for the bass in your pond. Plus it's another hungry mouth depleting your baitfish population.

How fast do blue catfish grow in a pond?

Hybrid blue catfish also grow fast and big so you don't need to spend years waiting to catch these fish. In fact, our hybrid blue catfish grow at least 30 percent faster than any other catfish species. This means that with managed feeding, a fingerling may weigh up to 5 pounds after just one year.

What is the biggest blue catfish on record?

The world-record catch for blue catfish was broken in 2011 when a 143-pound (64.9-kilogram) behemoth was reeled in from a Virginia lake, according to the International Game Fish Association. Cronley said his fish was 56.6 inches (1.4 meters) long with a girth of 41 inches (1.04 meters).

Why are blue catfish harmful?

Blue catfish that live a long time in the Bay can accumulate toxins in their bodies. These older fish also grow quite large. Research has helped regulators understand size limits for blue catfish that are healthy to eat.

Are blue catfish good eating?

Blue catfish are very good to eat. Fresh baits such as cut fish, shrimp, chicken liver, and processed catfish bait are best, while bait casting and bottom fishing are popular angling methods.

Can catfish eat humans?

No, despite what you may have heard, there aren't. This is a myth, along with age-old claims that giant anacondas or piranhas eat men. People, especially the Caboclos in Amazonia and natives of other parts of South America and in Asia, love to tell these blood-curdling stories!

How fast do hybrid catfish grow?

Hybrid blue catfish also grow fast and big so you don’t need to spend years waiting to catch these fish. In fact, our hybrid blue catfish grow at least 30 percent faster than any other catfish species. This means that with managed feeding, a fingerling may weigh up to 5 pounds after just one year.

What is so special about hybrid catfish?

What is so special about these catfish? A lot. Hybrid blue cats have an insatiable appetite, so you can forget about being disappointed because nothing is biting. These fish also like to hit artificial lures so hard that you may need to stock up on tackle. The hybrid blue catfish tends to prowl upper-level waters, even sometimes jumping out of the water like a bass. Once you hook one of these catfish the fun has only just begun, as well, since they are also spectacular fighters and will prove to be a challenge to reel in.

How much does a fingerling catfish weigh?

This means that with managed feeding, a fingerling may weigh up to 5 pounds after just one year. If you enjoy fishing your private pond or lake, you will love the hybrid blue catfish.

Do blue catfish jump out of water?

The hybrid blue catfish tends to prowl upper-level waters, even sometimes jumping out of the water like a bass. Once you hook one of these catfish the fun has only just begun, as well, since they are also spectacular fighters and will prove to be a challenge to reel in.

Is blue catfish a fast growing fish?

Hybrid Blue Catfish: A Fast-Growing Fish for Your Pond. Catfish can make for a fun fishing experience, whether you are pursuing them at a private fishing hole or a public river or pond. Anglers at public waterways are limited to whatever fish may be present in the water. Owners of private fishing ponds or lakes, however, ...

How much does a blue catfish weigh?

The Chesapeake Bay record is a blue catfish caught in the James River that was 102 pounds. Blue catfish are highly productive and create high numbers of offspring each reproductive cycle.

Where do blue catfish live?

Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Rio Grande river basins; they have been stocked for fishing in nearly 20 states. In the Chesapeake Bay, blue catfish are considered an invasive species. They have expanded their range and population so much that they are likely negatively affecting the Bay ecosystem because they eat so ...

What is the management strategy for blue catfish?

Blue catfish are a tasty and nutritious fish, so the Management Strategy recommends that the Chesapeake Bay states focus on developing and expanding commercial fisheries for blue catfish.

How are blue catfish landed?

Blue catfish are landed commercially using a variety of nets, impoundments, and traps. There is minimal bycatch.

What color is a blue catfish?

Blue catfish have a flat dorsal fin and a deeply forked tail. They are silvery-blue in color with a white belly. Their smooth skin lacks scales.

How many eggs do squid spawn?

They spawn once a year from late May into June, mostly in lower-salinity streams and smaller tributaries. Females produce 4,000 to 8,000 eggs per kilogram of body weight—so a 10-pound fish could produce more than 20,000 eggs.

Is flathead catfish invasive?

Because blue catfish—and another invasive fish, the flathead catfish—have the potential to cause substantial harm to the Chesapeake Bay food web, the Chesapeake Bay Program recently developed an Invasive Catfish Management Strategy#N#(link is external)#N#(PDF, 21 pages). Their Invasive Catfish Workgroup will continue to work together to focus on this topic.

How big is a blue catfish?

Pimelodus furcatus Valenciennes, 1840. The blue catfish ( Ictalurus furcatus) is the largest species of North American catfish, reaching a length of 165 cm (65 in) and a weight of 68 kg (150 lb). The typical length is about 25–46 in (64–117 cm). The fish can live to 20 years.

Where is the largest blue catfish in South Carolina?

On February 7, 2012, a 136-lb blue catfish was caught on a commercial-fishing trot line in Lake Moultrie, one of the two Santee Cooper lakes, near Cross, South Carolina. It was 56 inches long. The fish is the largest blue catfish ever weighed on a certified scale in South Carolina, but it is not eligible for state record certification because it was not caught on a rod and reel.

What is the record for blue catfish in Indiana?

The record-setting catfish was pulled in using a sausage with a circle hook. The Indiana record for a blue catfish was set in 1999 by Bruce Midkiff. The fish was caught in the Ohio River and weighed 104 lb.

What is the largest catfish in Virginia?

On June 22, 2011, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries certified the blue catfish as the state's largest, setting a new state record. The fish had a length of 57 in (145 cm) and a girth of 47 in (120 cm). On February 7, 2012, a 136-lb blue catfish was caught on a commercial-fishing trot line in Lake Moultrie, ...

What do blue catfish eat?

Blue catfish are opportunistic predators and eat any species of fish they can catch, along with crawfish, freshwater mussels, frogs, and other readily available aquatic food sources. Catching their prey becomes all the more easy if it is already wounded or dead, and blue catfish are noted for feeding beneath marauding schools of striped bass in open water in reservoirs or feeding on wounded baitfish that have been washed through dam spillways or power-generation turbines. Blue catfish are one of the only species of fish in the Mississippi river basin able to eat adult Asian carp.

How to tell if a catfish is channel or blue?

The best way to tell the difference between a channel catfish and a blue catfish is to count the number of rays on the anal fin. A blue catfish has 30–36 rays, whereas a channel catfish has 25–29.

Is blue catfish a problem in Virginia?

Unfortunately, the relatively low mortality rate, large body size, wide range of species preyed upon, and success as a predator has resulted in the blue catfish being considered a problematic invasive species in Virginia. Since their introduction in Virginia waters in the 1970s, blue catfish populations have exploded. Recent electrofishing studies have documented capture rates in excess of 6,000 fish/hr, whereas studies from the native range show peak electrofishing capture rates of 700 fish/hr. Clearly, blue catfish are a dominant species within the freshwater and oligohaline portions of Virginia's tidal rivers. The introduction of blue catfish in Virginia's tidal rivers was thought to have negative impacts on anadromous American shad, blueback herring, and alewife; however, predation of these species by blue catfish has been demonstrated to be minimal. Much of the narrative that has been built around the species as a dangerous apex predator in the Chesapeake Bay is simply not true. Researchers from Virginia Tech have found the species to be mostly herbivorous and omnivorous, with diets consisting largely of hydrilla and Asian clams, both of which are invasive to the Chesapeake Bay. Blue catfish do eat blue crabs with some regularity, which is problematic because blue crabs represent the most valuable fishery in the Chesapeake Bay.

How much does a blue catfish weigh?

Blue catfish can reach weights of 50 pounds or more, which means they can be the dominant predator all other species. Channel cats, on the other hand, seldom exceed 10-12 pounds in a small, closed system.

Is blues bad for the food chain?

Trouble is, blues are so effective, we have found they can become a significant player in the food chain, thu s a negative factor when big bass are the No. 1 management objective.

Is a blue cat a predator?

The blue cat is nothing if not a predator.

How fast do catfish grow?

For example, a growth assessment of channel catfish in Lake A reveals fish are 6 inches at the end of their first year of growth (age-1), 8.5 inches after their second year of growth (age-2), and 11 inches after their third year of growth (age-3). In Lake B, channel cats are 6 inches at age-1, 9 inches at age-2, and 12.5 inches at age-3. Length-at-age data show the fish in Lake B are growing faster than in Lake A during their second and third years.

Why do blue catfish have a latitudinal countergradient?

Even though blue catfish added more size where growing season was longer, they also showed a latitudinal countergradient when growth was adjusted to account for the length of the growing season. The countergradient effect for blues was weaker than for channel or flathead catfish, perhaps because they are known to move such long distances in large rivers.

Where did Joe Baze catch the catfish?

'Catfish ' Joe Baze of Chariton, Iowa, set the Hawkeye flathead record in June 1958 with this 81-pound behemoth, taken from Lucas County's Lake Ellis. Baze was a consummate fisherman, with numerous trophy catches to his credit. As the story goes, he loved devoting Saturdays to fishing a nearby lake, but almost stayed home the day of his big catch due to a foul east wind. When the wind switched late in the day, however, he and his son geared up, headed for Ellis — and made history.

What is the importance of catfish?

Catfish, especially blues, channels, and flatheads, are important recreational and commercial species. Channel catfish also support a multi-million dollar fish-farming industry. To advance management of wild catfish stocks and improve production on fish farms, scientists have extensively studied factors affecting catfish growth. The faster a catfish grows, the sooner it reaches harvestable size and, subsequently, trophy proportions, so growth is important to catfish anglers.

Why is catfish growth important?

The faster a catfish grows, the sooner it reaches harvestable size and , subsequently, trophy proportions, so growth is important to catfish anglers . Many variables can affect catfish growth, but throughout their range, temperature is a major factor.

What is the role of food supply in catfish?

We know food supply — the type and abundance of food — plays a large role in catfish growth. But for a rich food supply to benefit catfish growth, we also have to consider the abundance of the catfish sharing the food and, possibly, the abundance of other species competing with catfish for food.

How big is a cat in Lake B?

In Lake B, channel cats are 6 inches at age-1, 9 inches at age-2, and 12.5 inches at age-3. Length-at-age data show the fish in Lake B are growing faster than in Lake A during their second and third years.

How Do You Grow Big Catfish in a Pond?

Catfish are a popular fish for ponds, but many people don’t know how to grow them big. Many people think that catfish can only be grown in large bodies of water, but this isn’t true. You can quickly grow big catfish in a pond if you follow these simple steps.

How Big Will Channel Catfish Get in a Pond?

The average size of channel cats is 2-3 pounds, but the largest ever caught was 58 pounds!! However, most anglers never come close to seeing a catfish that is half as big as this one.

How Do Catfish Reproduce in a Pond?

The Channel catfish is a bore spawner who chooses to lay eggs in dark holes or under logs and rocks.

Are channel catfish good for a pond’s ecosystem?

Yes. Channel catfish are great at controlling the population of certain baitfish types, including bass, bluegill sunfish, black crappie, and bullheads.

Overview

Record-setting fish

Identification

Diet

Pest status

See also

Further reading

External links