Brown Bullhead Catfish
Ameiurus nebulosus

Aka: Mud Cat, Speckled Cat

The brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus, is a fish of the Ictaluridae family that is widely distributed in North America.  It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead (Ameiurus melas) and yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis).  It was originally described as Pimelodus nebulosus in 1819, and is also referred to as Ictalurus nebulosus.

The brown bullhead is also widely known as the "mud pout", "horned pout" or "hornpout" or simply "mud cat", along with the other bullhead species.

The brown bullhead is important as a clan symbol of the Ojibwe group of Native Americans.  In their tradition, the bullhead or "wawaazisii" is one of six beings that came out of the sea to form the original clans.

The brown bullhead thrives in a variety of habitats, including lakes and ponds with low oxygen and/or muddy conditions.  In many areas of the United States, Brown Bullheads are opportunistic bottom feeders.  They eat insects, leeches, snails, small fish, clams, and many plants including many varieties of algae.  They are also known to eat corn, which can be used as bait or food supplement.  Similar to other catfish, they spawn only after the temperature of the water has reached 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 °C) (cooler in the northern US) in June and July so this is a seasonal fish that we do not offer year round.  Get em while they’re available.


PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE A SEASONAL ITEM!  WE USUALLY BEGIN SHIPPING CATFISH IN FEBRUARY THRU OCTOBER BUT DUE TO THE HISTORICALLY COLD ARCTIC BLASTS TUCSON'S DESERT HAS GOTTEN THIS YEAR, WE  WILL BEGIN SHIPPING CATFISH AFTER THE 2nd WEEK OF APRIL.  ORDER YOURS NOW TO RESERVE, DO NOT DELAY!