Brown bullhead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brown bullhead |
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The brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) is a type of catfish found in North America. It belongs to the Ictaluridae family. This fish is very similar to the black bullhead (Ameiurus melas) and the yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis).
People often call the brown bullhead by other names. These include "mud pout," "horned pout," or "mud cat." These names are also sometimes used for other bullhead species.
The brown bullhead is special to the Ojibwe people. In their traditions, the bullhead, called wawaazisii, is one of six beings. These beings came from the sea to form the first clans.
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What Does a Brown Bullhead Look Like?
The brown bullhead can grow to about 21 inches (53 cm) long. Its back is a dark brown-green color. This color gets lighter, turning green and yellow, towards its belly. The belly is usually off-white or cream. This fish does not have scales.
You might also see dark, brown-black spots all over its body. The brown bullhead has two fins on its back. It also has a small adipose fin and fins on its belly. Its anal fin has 21 to 24 rays. The tail is only slightly V-shaped.
This fish has barbels around its mouth. These look like whiskers. The barbels around the mouth are black to yellowish-brown. It also has saw-like barbels on its pelvic spines. Young brown bullheads look similar. However, they are often just one solid color.
The brown bullhead's mouth is slightly underneath its head. This means its upper jaw sticks out a little more than its lower jaw. This mouth shape helps it find food on the bottom of lakes and rivers.
Adult brown bullheads are usually 200 to 500 mm (7.9 to 19.7 in) long. They weigh between 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) and 3.6 kg (7.9 lb). Brown bullheads are cold-blooded. This means their body temperature changes with the water around them.
You can tell brown bullheads apart from black and yellow bullheads. Look for their yellow-black chin barbels. They also don't have a dark bar at the base of their tail. Black bullheads have this bar. Brown bullheads also have 21–24 rays in their anal fin.
Where Do Brown Bullheads Live?
Brown bullheads are originally from the eastern parts of North America. You can find them from Nova Scotia in Canada down to Mobile Bay, Alabama in the U.S. They also live in the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and Mississippi River areas. This includes places from Quebec to Saskatchewan, and south to Louisiana and west to Texas.
However, people have moved brown bullheads to many other places. This was often done for food or for sport fishing. So, you can now find them in many U.S. states. These include California, Oregon, and Washington. They are also in Hawaii. Brown bullheads like to live together in groups. They usually stay in one area and do not travel far.
Brown Bullhead Homes
Brown bullheads can live in many different places. They like lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams. They can even live in water with low oxygen or muddy conditions. In many parts of the U.S., they are bottom feeders. This means they eat food they find on the bottom.
This fish does not have many natural enemies. Also, they are not very popular with fishermen. Because of this, their numbers have grown a lot. Catfish live in various places, from clear lakes to muddy ditches. They are usually hidden during the day. At night, they come out to search for food on the bottom.
They eat insects, leeches, snails, small fish, clams, and many plants. They are even known to eat corn, which can be used as bait. Like other catfish, they lay eggs when the water gets warm. In the northern U.S., they need cooler temperatures to lay eggs.
Brown bullheads can handle many different water temperatures. They can also survive in water with very low oxygen levels. They can live in polluted water. Because they can handle low oxygen, they are less likely to die from "winterkill." This happens when lakes freeze over and oxygen levels drop.
Fishing for Brown Bullheads
It's quite easy to catch a brown bullhead. You can use natural bait like worms or chicken livers. When you catch one, it will put up a fight, but it's not usually a super strong one. Fishermen often catch them by casting their lines to the bottom.
If you catch a brown bullhead in very clear water, its meat can be firm and reddish or pinkish. It is quite tasty to eat. However, other catfish like the channel catfish and blue catfish are more famous for food. Most brown bullheads won't weigh more than two pounds. The biggest one ever caught weighed about 7.375 pounds (3.345 kg).
Life Cycle and How They Reproduce
Brown bullheads usually live for six to eight years. Some have lived up to fifteen years in captivity. They lay their eggs between April and June. During each breeding season, the female will stay with one male.
The females lay their eggs in dark, shallow spots. These can be under rocks or inside logs. The male then fertilizes the eggs outside the female's body. The fish face each other during this process. The female usually builds the nest. However, both parents protect the eggs.
The eggs typically hatch in about six days. Sometimes it can take up to 13 days. After the eggs hatch, the female brown bullhead will keep guarding her young. Both parents usually care for their babies for about five more days after they hatch.
Both male and female brown bullheads can start having babies around age three. They can produce anywhere from 10 to 10,000 young in their lifetime. Sometimes, brown bullheads have been seen eating their own eggs.
Brown Bullheads as an Invasive Species
Brown bullheads have been brought to many countries outside of North America. These include places in Europe like Poland, Germany, and Sweden. They have also been introduced to western North America, Chile, Puerto Rico, and New Zealand.
Some countries, like Iran and Turkey, have reported problems because of the brown bullhead. This means they might cause issues for local fish or environments.
What Do Brown Bullheads Eat?
Brown bullheads are omnivores. This means they eat both plants and animals. They are also benthic bottom feeders. This means they mostly eat food found on the bottom of the water.
Their diet includes algae, leeches, worms, snails, crabs, insects, crayfish, and other small fish. They also eat fish eggs. Brown bullheads usually eat at night. However, they have been seen eating during the day too.
Bullheads don't have very good eyesight. So, they rely a lot on their sensitive barbels to find food. Since they are omnivores, they will eat almost anything that fits into their mouth.
Who Eats Brown Bullheads?
Brown bullheads are most likely to be eaten by other animals when they are young, especially as eggs. Some animals that prey on them include northern pike, muskellunge, walleye, snapping turtles, water snakes, green herons, yellow perch, and sunfish.
Humans also catch brown bullheads for small-scale fishing. People fish for them for fun, to eat, or for research. Other fish and animals are usually only a threat to bullheads that are less than four inches long. The biggest threat to adult bullheads is humans.
Brown bullheads have colors that help them hide. This helps them avoid being eaten. As a way to protect themselves, bullheads have a sharp spine on their back fin and on their side fins. When attacked, they can stiffen this spine. This makes it hard for a predator to swallow them. They can also release a venom that stings and burns the attacker.
Protecting Brown Bullheads
The brown bullhead is not considered an endangered species. It does not have any special protection status from groups like the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is also not on the United States Endangered Species Program list.
Brown bullheads can live in water with very low oxygen levels. This is often caused by pollution from factories and homes. This ability helps them survive well. Because of this, brown bullheads are a very common fish in many lakes and streams across North America.
Images for kids
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Brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus
See also
In Spanish: Pez cabeza de toro para niños
