Ameiurus brunneus – Snail Bullhead
Ameiurus brunneus was officially described by Jordan in 1877.
The scientific genus name Ameiurus comes from Greek. A means without and meiouros means without tail. A reference to the tail which has no obvious notch and runs almost straight in relation to the body. They belong to the family Ictaluridae or the North American Freshwater Catfish. This family includes about seven genera and 51 species.
Their common name is Snail Bullhead.
Description
Ameiurus brunneus is an inconspicuous catfish that can reach a maximum total length of 29 centimeters.
They have a flat head and snub nose. The color is yellow-brown on top and white on the belly, sometimes with a hint of blue. The dorsal fin contains a dark spot at the base.
The difference between males and females is best seen during the breeding season in early spring. The females are then much fuller built than the slimmer men.
Origin
This catfish comes from North America. They inhabit the rivers towards the Atlantic Ocean from southern Virginia to St. Johns River in Florida. In addition, also rivers that flow towards the Gulf of Mexico in Georgia, Alabama and Florida.
Diet
This omnivore feeds on fish, invertebrates and to a lesser extent on vegetable food.
The Aquarium
Ameiurus brunneus is nocturnal. Therefore, provide shelters where it can hide during the day. Use rocks or a piece of wood for this. Set up the aquarium with sand on the bottom.
Only species that are at least half their own size are suitable as co-inhabitants. Everything that fits in the mouth is eaten during the night.
The temperature may be between 18 and 26 degrees Celsius at a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Make sure there is sufficient current and oxygen in the water.
Author
John de Lange
Copyright images
NCFishes.com – CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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