Black Bullhead
All about Black Bullheads
What's In a Name?Common Name:
Black bullhead -- refers to the overall color of the fish and the shape of its head.
Scientific Name:
Ameiurus (ah-mee´-ur-us) means "tapering snout" in Latin
melas (mel´-ahs) means "black" in Latin
Where do they live?
The black bullhead is common throughout Minnesota. It is found in quiet river backwaters, impoundments, ponds, lakes, and slow moving streams typically over soft bottoms consisting of mud and sand. It is a hardy fish that tolerates turbid (muddy) water, warm temperatures, and low oxygen concentrations. The black bullhead can tolerate conditions many other types of fish cannot.
How big do they get?
The black bullhead is Minnesota's smallest bullhead (the yellow and brown bullhead are also found in Minnesota). It is common for them to reach about 6 to 10 inches in length. The state record in Minnesota is 3 lb., 13 oz., which was caught in Reno Lake in Pope County. Black bullheads generally live 3 to 5 years.
What do they eat?
This bottom dweller is considered a scavenger (eats dead things) and an opportunist (eats whatever comes its way) including insects, small fishes, frogs, crayfish, and plant material.
What eats them?
Black bullheads have large, sharp spines at the front of their dorsal (top) and pectoral (side) fins. When bothered, they lock them in a straight-out position making them very hard to swallow. These spines and the fishes' preference for eating mostly at night make black bullheads an uncommon prey for other fish. Their most common predator is people. Anglers can easily catch them because they will bite on most bait and many anglers find them a tasty treat when taken from clean water.
"Cool fact"
There are an estimated 100,000 taste buds covering the body of a bullhead, but are particularly concentrated on the barbels (whiskers).
Credits: Photograph by Konrad P. Schmidt. Text modified from Bell Museum of Natural History, Fishes of Minnesota Web site (Nicole Paulson & Jay T. Hatch authors)