Ameiurus nebulosus syn. Ictalurus nebulosus
Brown bullhead catfish
Family: Ictaluridae
Origin: North America
Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP) status
- Aotea — Exclusion
- Whole region — Sustained control
- Priority Lakes Tomarata and Rototoa
- Hauraki Gulf Controlled Area Notice pest
General description
Scale-less dark brown to olive-green fish, eight whiskery barbels around the mouth. Can grow up to 25-50 cm long.
What you need to know
To help protect our environment:
- You must not distribute or release any brown bullhead catfish within the Auckland region.
- You must not fish for brown bullhead catfish in High conservation value water bodies or their catchments, or anywhere in the Hauraki Gulf Controlled Area.
Habitats
Lakes, slow-moving water bodies, streams, drainage channels.
Impact on environment
Eats fish and invertebrates. Contributes to poor water quality, exacerbates algal blooms, suspends sediment, uproots plants. Can cause lake to flip to an alternative state devoid of vegetation, with turbid water dominated phytoplankton.
Control
Management
Check equipment and vessels for freshwater pests, clean everything that has been in contact with the water and dry everything thoroughly.
For more information about brown bullhead catfish and how to manage them, please contact Auckland Council at pestfree@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
