SpeciesFacts

All species › Fish › Blue Catfish

Blue Catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

Fish · family Ictaluridae · order Siluriformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Blue Catfish
Photo: Duane Raver - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
19 states[3]
Longest recorded life
21 years[4]

The Blue Catfish is a fish in the catfish family Ictaluridae[5]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe ranks it Secure worldwide[1][2].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Blue Catfish a global rank of G5, which means Secure[2]. Its national rank for the United States is N5, also Secure[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The species is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe says the trend over recent years is uncertain, but probably fairly stable or slowly declining[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Where Blue Catfish lives

NatureServe lists the Blue Catfish as native in 19 US states and territories, including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri and Ohio[3]. It has been introduced, which means people brought it in, in places such as Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia and Washington[10]. NatureServe ranks it as extirpated or possibly extirpated, which means gone from the state, in Pennsylvania and West Virginia[11].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: introduced, state rank SNAWAIdaho: introduced, state rank SNAIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: native, state rank S2ILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: introduced, state rank SNAORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5SDIowa: native, state rank S4IAIndiana: native, state rank S4INOhio: native, state rank S4OHPennsylvania: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXPANew Jersey: introduced, state rank SNANJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: introduced, state rank SNACONebraska: native, state rank S4NEMissouri: native, state rank SUMOKentucky: native, state rank S4KYWest Virginia: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXWVVirginia: introduced, state rank SNAVAMaryland: introduced, state rank SNAMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: introduced, state rank SNAAZNew Mexico: native, state rank S2NMKansas: native, state rank S4KSArkansas: native, state rank S4ARTennessee: native, state rank S4TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank SNANCSouth Carolina: introduced, state rank SNASCDistrict of Columbia: introduced, state rank SNADCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: native, state rank S5MSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S4GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S5TXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[12].
Show state ranks (31 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
ArizonaSNANot Applicable
ArkansasS4Apparently Secure
ColoradoSNANot Applicable
District of ColumbiaSNANot Applicable
GeorgiaS4Apparently Secure
IdahoSNANot Applicable
IllinoisS2Imperiled
IndianaS4Apparently Secure
IowaS4Apparently Secure
KansasS4Apparently Secure
KentuckyS4Apparently Secure
LouisianaS5Secure
MarylandSNANot Applicable
MississippiS5Secure
MissouriSUUnrankable
NebraskaS4Apparently Secure
New JerseySNANot Applicable
New MexicoS2Imperiled
North CarolinaSNANot Applicable
OhioS4Apparently Secure
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
OregonSNANot Applicable
PennsylvaniaSXPresumed Extirpated
South CarolinaSNANot Applicable
South DakotaS5Secure
TennesseeS4Apparently Secure
TexasS5Secure
VirginiaSNANot Applicable
WashingtonSNANot Applicable
West VirginiaSXPresumed Extirpated

Habitat

NatureServe records big and medium rivers, deep water and shallow water as habitat for this fish[13]. In rivers it stays in deep channels and backwaters, and in reservoirs it is in deep water by day[14]. It also turns up in some fish-farm ponds[14]. It can handle salinities up to 22 ppt, which is salty water, though less salty than the sea[14]. Males prepare nests under logs, brush or riverbanks, often in pools or backwaters[14].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[13]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Blue Catfish feeds on the bottom and also scavenges[15]. Young fish eat mostly crustaceans and water insects, and adults shift toward fish and large invertebrates[15][16]. NatureServe records a typical length of 119 cm (47 in)[17]. The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 21 years, which is a record and not a typical age[4]. Adults guard the nest until the young hatch[18].

Trait Value
Typical length[17] 119 cm (47 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 21 years (wild)
Food habits[16] Piscivore, Invertivore

When to look for it

The Blue Catfish is nocturnal, so it is active at night, and it feeds mostly after dark[19][20]. It spawns in late spring and early summer when the water is 21 to 25 C[18]. Online observation records in the United States are highest in July, August and December[21]. Those records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[21].

January: 10,817 recordsJanFebruary: 10,163 recordsFebMarch: 9,363 recordsMarApril: 6,535 recordsAprMay: 5,628 recordsMayJune: 8,369 recordsJunJuly: 12,152 recordsJulAugust: 12,547 recordsAugSeptember: 10,675 recordsSepOctober: 9,097 recordsOctNovember: 10,268 recordsNovDecember: 13,110 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[21].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January10,817
February10,163
March9,363
April6,535
May5,628
June8,369
July12,152
August12,547
September10,675
October9,097
November10,268
December13,110

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Blue Catfish as present in 7 park units[22]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia[23]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Blue Catfish endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure[2].
Where does the Blue Catfish live?
It is native in 19 US states and territories, including Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Missouri[3]. It has also been introduced in states such as Arizona, Maryland and Virginia[10].
What does the Blue Catfish eat?
Young fish eat mostly crustaceans and water insects, and adults eat fish and large invertebrates[15]. It also scavenges[15].
How big does a Blue Catfish get?
NatureServe records a typical length of 119 cm (47 in)[17].
How long does a Blue Catfish live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 21 years[4]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Blue Catfish is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Blue Catfish: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Blue Catfish as native in 19 US states and territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 21 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) is a fish in the family Ictaluridae, order Siluriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe notes on trend for Blue Catfish. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe lists Blue Catfish as introduced (not native) in: Arizona, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe ranks Blue Catfish as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Pennsylvania, West Virginia. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe state ranks for Blue Catfish (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  13. Habitat types NatureServe records for Blue Catfish: Big river, Medium river, Moderate gradient, Low gradient, Deep water, Shallow water. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on habitat for Blue Catfish. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Blue Catfish. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 119 cm (47 in). NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Blue Catfish. NatureServe Explorer
  19. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Nocturnal. NatureServe Explorer
  20. NatureServe notes on phenology for Blue Catfish. NatureServe Explorer
  21. GBIF observation records of Blue Catfish in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  22. NPSpecies park lists recording Blue Catfish as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  23. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Blue Catfish: Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Duane Raver - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.