Re: Golden Channel Catfish

[john rutz]

Lee Brouillet wrote:
> Anyone know anything about these critters? One of the local (private) pet
> shops has two 18"-ers that they'd like to give to a good home. I think
> they'd be OK with my koi, but I'm worried about whether or not they can take
> meds, and what their temp range is. I'd hate to not be able to treat the
> pond because of one fish . . .
>
> Lee
>
>
nothing on them in google but did find this related article


Ictalurus punctatus
Catfish family. Wide-ranging.

A slender catfish with a deeply forked tail. Young have spots which
disappear with age. The channel cat is the most abundant and widely
distributed large catfish in Missouri streams. Its diet includes animal
and plant material. Adults are commonly 12 to 32 inches long and weigh
from 0.5 to 15 pounds.

and
Ictalurus is Greek and punctatus is Latin, meaning "fish cat" and
"spotted," respectively. Channel catfish are easily distinguished from
all others, except blue catfish, by their deeply forked tail fin. Unlike
flathead catfish, the upper jaw projects beyond the lower jaw.
Coloration is olive-brown to slate-blue on the back and sides, shading
to silvery-white on the belly. Typically, numerous small, black spots
are present, but may be obscured in large adults. The anal fin has 24-29
soft rays, in contrast to the blue catfish which always has 30 or more
rays in the anal fin.
--





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

never miss a good oportunity to shut up

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

[Sam Hopkins]

I have channel cats in my rec pond. They are grey not golden but I'm sure
they're the same. Channel cats are the only "good" catfish for ponds and
waterways. They don't root around in the mud and stir things up like
koi/carp. They are pretty hardy fish.

Sam

"Lee Brouillet" > wrote in message
...
> Anyone know anything about these critters? One of the local (private) pet
> shops has two 18"-ers that they'd like to give to a good home. I think
> they'd be OK with my koi, but I'm worried about whether or not they can
take
> meds, and what their temp range is. I'd hate to not be able to treat the
> pond because of one fish . . .
>
> Lee
>
>
> --
> Lee B.
> See my Zone 9 a/b ponds at:
> http://community.webshots.com/user/dragnp
>
>

[Jerrispond]

>I have channel cats in my rec pond. They are grey not golden but I'm sure
>they're the same. Channel cats are the only "good" catfish for ponds and
>waterways

I have a channel cat in 2 of my ponds. They are well over a foot long. They
get along fine with the goldfish and the koi. I bought them to eat babies and
minnows .....they don't....so I have these big black fish. I did have albino
cats but the herons got them pretty early on. Jerri

http://www.fringeweb.com/Ponds/JerrisPond

[Hank]

I have an albino channel cat that winters in 2 1/2 ft. of water in
zone 6b NJ. It does not bother any fish. Not even babies or tadpoles.

http://community.webshots.com/user/hankpage1

"Lee Brouillet" > wrote in message
...
> Anyone know anything about these critters? One of the local
(private) pet
> shops has two 18"-ers that they'd like to give to a good home. I
think
> they'd be OK with my koi, but I'm worried about whether or not they
can take
> meds, and what their temp range is. I'd hate to not be able to treat
the
> pond because of one fish . . .
>
> Lee
>
>
> --
> Lee B.
> See my Zone 9 a/b ponds at:
> http://community.webshots.com/user/dragnp
>
>

[LeeAnne]

I'm glad that others have not had problems w/their cats eating their Koi -
however, from my aquarium experience w/catfish in general the rule is that
if they can fit it in their mouth they will eat it.

Channel cats probably won't try and take a Koi or GF unless they are sick
and are an easy target. And, keep 'em fed.

OTOH, my South American Red Tail Cat (they can grow up to 5 feet)
definitely fit that "if it fits" rule. He didn't quite make it, the
cichlids took him out (and I was ****ed!).

LeeAnne


"Lee Brouillet" > wrote in message
...
> Anyone know anything about these critters? One of the local (private) pet
> shops has two 18"-ers that they'd like to give to a good home. I think
> they'd be OK with my koi, but I'm worried about whether or not they can
take
> meds, and what their temp range is. I'd hate to not be able to treat the
> pond because of one fish . . .
>
> Lee
>
>
> --
> Lee B.
> See my Zone 9 a/b ponds at:
> http://community.webshots.com/user/dragnp
>
>