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What kind of catfish is this?


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#1 Guest_Charlotteguy101_*

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Posted 27 September 2006 - 03:09 PM

Im usually good with catfish but i caught this one in the creek near my house (charlotte NC) the other day and ive never seen anything like it? Its shape is similar to a channel or blue but it has a really tall dorsal fin spine, it is dark grey/black, it has a deeply forked tail (like a channel) black fins with white tips and black barbels. Can anyone help? no spots like a juvie channel or blue and the caudal fin is too deeply forked to be a madtom or bullhead. It is about 3in long. Any help in identifying would be appreciated.

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#2 Guest_sandtiger_*

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Posted 27 September 2006 - 06:49 PM

It does not look like an Ictalurid, looks like an member of the Ariidae family.
http://www.planetcat...php?family_id=9

#3 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 27 September 2006 - 07:28 PM

yeah, could it be a gasfftopsail catfish?

#4 Guest_dredcon_*

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Posted 27 September 2006 - 07:34 PM

Its no gafftop, they have streamers on the pec and dorsal spines.

#5 Guest_Charlotteguy101_*

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Posted 27 September 2006 - 09:58 PM

Ok i checked out planet catfish and i think i found it, one problem though the species i think it most resembles....Hexanematichthys seemanni........is native to california and south america. How in the world did it end up in north carolina? Any ideas? For those who think im just mistaken i promise it is NOT a channel, blue, or any of the bullheads/madtoms. Ive had baby channels and blues and while the body is similar, the color and fin shapes are way off.

#6 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 27 September 2006 - 10:07 PM

That looks like a match to me. It could have been an aquarium release. If it is indeed that species, it appears that it will need brackish to full marine when it gets larger.

#7 Guest_hmt321_*

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Posted 27 September 2006 - 10:24 PM

Columbian sharks are sold all over, some one just dumped it into whatever creek you found it in.

i think they are brackish fish at least part of there live span

#8 Guest_Charlotteguy101_*

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Posted 27 September 2006 - 11:13 PM

Well its a muddy/gravel bottom creek, fairly warm as it actually starts in charlotte (rain runoff, pond overlflows etc). My question is how could it survive? i mean its done fine in my tank, is it versitle climate wise? It suprised me either way, i figured maybe it was some weird subspecies.

#9 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 27 September 2006 - 11:37 PM

Just to clarify:
This fish was wild caught in NC waters and was three inches long?

If you can please get some very clear pics of this fish.
What was the exact location or drainage that the fish was caught at?

#10 Guest_Charlotteguy101_*

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Posted 27 September 2006 - 11:56 PM

Ha I swear i am not bsing yall. I was wading in Mcmullen creek in charlotte (drains into the catawba/lake wylie) About 2 miles downstream from the head. It was about 6 feet wide and up to 2 feet deep. I was collecting mosquitofish, some minnows im not sure of yet, and small sunfish for my feeder tank. I turned over a rock to try to net some sunfish and i saw what i thoguth was a madtom. I managed to net him and did not know what the hell he was so i took him home to get a closer look when i had a field guide present. When i did not find him in there and realzied it wasnt any species of cat i was familiar with i decided to ask yall. He is 3-4inches, very small. I will put some better pictures up in a few seconds.

#11 Guest_Charlotteguy101_*

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 12:05 AM

ok i got some details. He only has 6 whiskers. 2 long ones from the corner of his mouth, and four shorter ones on the bottom jaw. He DOES NOT have any on the upper lips. He is black on top fading to silver/grey one the sides which a white underbelly. He has black or white with black tip fins. Here are some more pictures.

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#12 Guest_Charlotteguy101_*

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 12:06 AM

sorry my camera sucks, i need to invest in a decent one

#13 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 12:12 AM

I do not think you are BS'ing.... what worrys me most is that your telling the truth.
A fish that size is not typical for a release that is more typical for natural reproduction.

This is worrysome and not a species that should be naturally spawning in NC if this is what it is.

#14 Guest_Charlotteguy101_*

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 12:20 AM

I thought it was doubtful for someone to release a fish like this, number one it seems to be peaceful and its not a picky eater. Its so small it could not have been a size issue. Im not sure. I guess ill give the DWF a call tomorrow and see what they want to do about it. If i see anymore ill try to kill them, been doing ti with any carp or mosquitofish i find, hate to add another species but what can ya do. Im just still in shock a species of cat from such a different range could survive to reproduce. The winters here get cold enough to form ice on the creek.

#15 Guest_ipchay61_*

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 05:27 AM

Doesn't surprise me if it's an aquarium release. As populated as the area is, I would expect there to be more cases of non-natives found there. I heard about several snakeheads being found in the Lake Wylie/Catawba River area several years ago but the excitement died down after the report could not be confirmed. Ask your local fisheries biologist for help in IDing the fish.

-Chip in SC

#16 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 09:23 AM

I agree, Charlotteguy101, that it looks like Hexanematichthys seemanni. Aquarium stores will call it a shark. Apparently can get to 24". I've kept this fish before. Someone probably was moving and had to get rid of their fish. Lots of people just dump them, even if they are easy keepers. It is apparently normally a brackish fish, so it might be doubtful for it to breed near Charlotte.

#17 Guest_dsmith73_*

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 10:44 AM

The "snakeheads" ended up being Ctenolucius spp. also called freshwater barracuda.




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