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Channel Catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

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.

Channel Catfish
Photo: Ryan Somma, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
33 states[3]
Longest recorded life
16 years[4]

The Channel Catfish is a fish in the catfish family Ictaluridae[5]. It is ranked Secure worldwide by NatureServe and is native to many US states, mostly in the central and eastern parts of the country[2][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the Channel Catfish G5 (Secure) worldwide and N5 (Secure) in the United States[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The fish is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. NatureServe estimates more than 1,000,000 adults worldwide[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)[8] >1,000,000 individuals

Where Channel Catfish lives

NatureServe lists the Channel Catfish as native in 33 US states and territories, including Texas, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Minnesota and New York[3]. It is listed as introduced, meaning people brought it there, in states such as Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado[9]. Texas, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Mexico and Oklahoma have the most observation records on GBIF, which follows how much people look and report[10].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: native, state rank S5WIVermont: native, state rank S4VTNew Hampshire: introduced, state rank SNANHWashington: introduced, state rank SNAWAIdaho: introduced, state rank SNAIDMontana: native, state rank S5MTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRMNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S5MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: introduced, state rank SNAMAOregon: introduced, state rank SNAORNevada: introduced, state rank SNANVWyoming: native, state rank S5WYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5SDIowa: native, state rank S5IAIndiana: native, state rank S5INOhio: native, state rank S5OHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5PANew Jersey: native, state rank S4NJConnecticut: introduced, state rank SNACTRhode Island: introduced, state rank SNARICalifornia: introduced, state rank SNACAUtah: introduced, state rank SNAUTColorado: introduced, state rank SNACONebraska: native, state rank S5NEMissouri: native, state rank SNRMOKentucky: native, state rank S4KYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5WVVirginia: native, state rank S4VAMaryland: introduced, state rank SNAMDDelaware: introduced, state rank SNADEArizona: introduced, state rank SNAAZNew Mexico: native, state rank S5NMKansas: native, state rank S5KSArkansas: native, state rank S4ARTennessee: native, state rank S5TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank SNANCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict 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 S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S5TXFlorida: native, state rank SNRFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[11].
Show state ranks (48 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
ArizonaSNANot Applicable
ArkansasS4Apparently Secure
CaliforniaSNANot Applicable
ColoradoSNANot Applicable
ConnecticutSNANot Applicable
DelawareSNANot Applicable
District of ColumbiaSNANot Applicable
FloridaSNRNot Ranked
GeorgiaS5Secure
IdahoSNANot Applicable
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS5Secure
IowaS5Secure
KansasS5Secure
KentuckyS4Apparently Secure
LouisianaS5Secure
MarylandSNANot Applicable
MassachusettsSNANot Applicable
MichiganS5Secure
MinnesotaSNRNot Ranked
MississippiS5Secure
MissouriSNRNot Ranked
MontanaS5Secure
NebraskaS5Secure
NevadaSNANot Applicable
New HampshireSNANot Applicable
New JerseyS4Apparently Secure
New MexicoS5Secure
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaSNANot Applicable
North DakotaSNRNot Ranked
OhioS5Secure
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
OregonSNANot Applicable
PennsylvaniaS5Secure
Rhode IslandSNANot Applicable
South CarolinaS5Secure
South DakotaS5Secure
TennesseeS5Secure
TexasS5Secure
UtahSNANot Applicable
VermontS4Apparently Secure
VirginiaS4Apparently Secure
WashingtonSNANot Applicable
West VirginiaS5Secure
WisconsinS5Secure
WyomingS5Secure

Habitat

NatureServe records habitat in medium and big rivers, in both pools and riffles (shallow, faster stretches), and in deep and shallow water[12]. The fish also lives in ponds, lakes and reservoirs, and it avoids upland streams[13]. During the day adults tend to stay in pools or hide near fallen logs and eroded banks, then move into riffles after dark[13]. Eggs are laid in cave-like spots such as undercut banks or log jams[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

Adults eat fish and invertebrates, and the Channel Catfish is a bottom feeder[14][15]. Young fish eat mostly small invertebrates, and fish and crayfish matter more as they grow[15]. The typical length recorded by NatureServe is 127 cm (50 in)[16]. The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 16 years, and that is a record, not a typical lifespan[4]. Males guard the nest, and eggs hatch in 5 to 10 days[17]. Fish become mature in 2 to 8 years[17].

Trait Value
Typical length[16] 127 cm (50 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 16 years (wild)
Food habits[14] Piscivore, Invertivore
Migration[18] non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant

When to look for it

The Channel Catfish is mostly active at night and at dawn and dusk, which is what crepuscular means[19][20]. It spawns in late spring and summer[17]. Some fish may travel far up or down a river, though NatureServe says populations differ in how much they move[21][18]. GBIF observation records peak in July, August and September, which reflects when people look and report[22].

January: 642 recordsJanFebruary: 986 recordsFebMarch: 1,506 recordsMarApril: 2,168 recordsAprMay: 3,052 recordsMayJune: 4,265 recordsJunJuly: 7,231 recordsJulAugust: 7,544 recordsAugSeptember: 4,774 recordsSepOctober: 3,914 recordsOctNovember: 1,682 recordsNovDecember: 1,774 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[22].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January642
February986
March1,506
April2,168
May3,052
June4,265
July7,231
August7,544
September4,774
October3,914
November1,682
December1,774

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Channel Catfish as present in 66 park units[23]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 42 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Mexico, Oklahoma[10]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Channel Catfish endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) worldwide[2].
Where does the Channel Catfish live?
It is native in 33 US states and territories and introduced in others, mainly in the West and Northeast[3][9]. It lives in rivers, ponds, lakes and reservoirs[13].
What does the Channel Catfish eat?
Young fish eat mostly small invertebrates, and larger fish eat more fish and crayfish[15]. NatureServe also notes that it takes in some plant material[15].
How big does a Channel Catfish get?
The typical length recorded by NatureServe is 127 cm (50 in)[16].
How long does a Channel Catfish live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 16 years[4]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. Channel 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 Channel Catfish: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Channel Catfish as native in 33 US states and territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 16 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) 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 estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe lists Channel Catfish as introduced (not native) in: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington. NatureServe Explorer
  10. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Channel Catfish: Texas, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Mexico, Oklahoma. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  11. NatureServe state ranks for Channel Catfish (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Channel Catfish: Big river, Medium river, Moderate gradient, Low gradient, Riffle, Pool, Deep water, Shallow water. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Channel Catfish. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Channel Catfish. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 127 cm (50 in). NatureServe Explorer
  17. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Channel Catfish. NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe migration category for Channel Catfish: non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  19. NatureServe notes on phenology for Channel Catfish. NatureServe Explorer
  20. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Nocturnal, Crepuscular. NatureServe Explorer
  21. NatureServe notes on migration for Channel Catfish. NatureServe Explorer
  22. GBIF observation records of Channel Catfish in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  23. NPSpecies park lists recording Channel Catfish as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

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: Ryan Somma, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.