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Buffalofish (Ictiobus bubalus) — Catostomidae

Buffalofish

Ictiobus bubalus
Family: Catostomidae
LC · Least Concern

The Buffalofish (Ictiobus bubalus) is a freshwater fish of the family Catostomidae that grows up to 112 cm.

Length
112 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The smallmouth buffalo is a large sucker from fresh water of North America, in the Mississippi basin and Gulf coast. The species grows to about 112 cm and has a deep, stocky, greyish-brown body with a small, inferior mouth. As a bottom-feeder it lives in large rivers, lakes and reservoirs and filters and scrapes invertebrates, algae and detritus from the bottom. It is a commercial and sport fish; some specimens become very old. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Buffalofish?

The Buffalofish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Buffalofish live?

The Buffalofish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Buffalofish get?

The Buffalofish grows to a maximum of about 112 cm. On average the species is around 59 cm.

Is the Buffalofish dangerous to humans?

No, the Buffalofish is harmless to humans.

Is the Buffalofish edible?

Yes, the Buffalofish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Kleinbek-buffelvis verified
English name
Buffalofish verified
Scientific name
Ictiobus bubalus
Family
Catostomidae
Other names
Smallmouth buffalo verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
112.0 verified
Average length (cm)
58.5 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
levensduur_max_jaar
15.0 verified

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Netten en hengelen sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Ictiobus

More from the family Catostomidae

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