Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Catfish hybrids

I was just wondering if there are any references to hybridization of channel, flathead or blue catfish. Have these crosses been made in the laboratory? Are they available from hatcheries? Could they be used to decrease reproduction of catfish in ponds?

LBuck :

There is info on some catfish crosses. I will post some later as I have to locate it again.

I remember discussion about the possibility of commercially available Blue x Channel Cats, but not whether anyone had succeeded in finding them.

You guys please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all that is needed to avoid successful large catfish (CC, BC, FHC) reproduction in ponds is 1) no nesting cavities and 2) presence of fair-to-middlin' predators to eat the slow catfish fry (even BG probably sufficient for this as well as providing forage for the adult catfish).

Here are 2 sources. I almost wish I didn't look as there is almost as much on cat crosses as lepomis crosses.


http://srac.tamu.edu/tmppdfs/8989590-190fs.pdf


Reproduction among Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish,
and Their F1 and F2 Hybrids
REX A. DUNHAM* AND BRAD J. ARGUE1
Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station,
Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
Abstract.—Reproductive traits of the channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, the blue catfish I. furcatus,
their F1 hybrid—channel catfish female 3 blue catfish male—and their F2 hybrid were
examined. The absence of reproductive isolating mechanisms in F1 and F2 generations is important
in terms of allowing for breeding programs for the development of a synthetic breed that has the
best culture traits from the two species. Conversely, if reproductive fitness is high in F1 and F2
generations, the possibility of introgression with the parent species in the natural environment
increases, thereby increasing the potential for risk from F1 generation (and higher) hybrids. F2
hybrid females had a lower frequency of ovulation (P , 0.05; 12.2%) than did channel catfish,
blue catfish, and F1 hybrid catfish (83.5, 58.4, and 56.5%, respectively) when these females were
induced to spawn with carp pituitary extract and were then hand-stripped. F2 hybrids that ovulated
produced fewer eggs per kilogram of body weight (P , 0.05) (923 eggs/kg) than did channel
catfish, blue catfish, and F1 hybrid catfish (7,893; 5,600; and 5,676 eggs/kg, respectively). The F1
hybrid had smaller testes per kilogram of body weight than did channel catfish (P , 0.05) (1.08
and 2.72 g/kg, respectively), but it did not have smaller testes than blue catfish (1.71 g/kg). Channel
catfish eggs had better fertilization (73.6%) than did F3 hybrid eggs (5.1%, P , 0.05). Channel
catfish eggs also had the highest observed hatch (41.5%). Channel catfish maternal genetic effects
had a strong positive effect on fertilization percentage, whereas channel catfish–additive genetic
effects had a strong positive effect on hatching percentage. Individual epistatic recombination loss
had a strong negative effect on hatching percentage. F1 hybrids rarely laid eggs when backcrossed
to parent species in aquaria. F2 hybrids did not naturally spawn in open ponds, in the pens in
ponds, or in aquaria. F2 breakdown was apparent, and backcrossing was naturally difficult. These
reproductive problems in hybrids will make development of synthetic breeds from channel catfish
and blue catfish difficult and will reduce the likelihood of introgression between the two species
in the natural environment.


Having trouble with second source.

Neat site Eric.

You known, I have read some where that some one had crossed a Blue and a flathead. Called a
Blue-Flathead catfish. I did not see a picture, but I can IMAGINE it being some what Fierce looking.
For that matter it would be intresting to see a Channel and a Flathead cross.

LBuck & big pond :

Can't find any info on flathead crosses. There appear to be 4 different types of CC and blue x cc crosses. One last bit of info.

Abstract.—One hundred and eighty-seven each of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, and their reciprocal hybrid crosses were stocked communally in a 0.1-hectare pond (7,480 fish/hectare) in April 1977. Each group was heat-branded prior to stocking for subsequent identification. The fish were grown for 181 days, after which the pond was fished for 35 man-hours (350 man-hours/hectare) on October 16 and 17. The pond was drained on October 19 and the remaining fish were harvested. A total of 290 kg (518 fish) was harvested by fishing and draining. Seventy-five (14.5%) of the fish were caught by the anglers in the two days. The hybrids were more susceptible to angling than the parent species. Heterosis for catchability was 158.6% by number and 203.6% by weight of fish caught. Channel catfish ♀ x blue catfish ♂ hybrids were more catchable than the reciprocal hybrids. Average length of all fish that were caught was greater than for those that were not caught. Fishing success in fee-fishing catfish ponds could be improved by stocking the channel catfish ♀ x blue catfish ♂ hybrid.

Flatheads being a different genus, I suspect that it's harder to cross them with either BC or CC than to cross the two Ictalurus with each other.

Theo :

Flatheads may just be to mean to cross with anything that isn't as mean as it is , thus only FHC x FHC. What about a FHC x Mekong cat -- woooah a thousand lb. cat in your pond. No longer a bass guzzler but a human guzzler.

Can you see Lusk's article about that? "While electroshocking a 50 acre lake for a bass club, we found a 1000 lbs catfish whose stomach contained three missing members. The club held a catfishing derby and lost 6 more members."

LOL! Can you imagine the indigestion 3 bass club members would give that poor little ol fish. I think we should start a Society for the prevention of cruelty to fish! Our first demand would be for a better diet for our captive friends!

Hey just a joke! I am bored here in Central Texas. We need some rain so I could watch my new pond fill up and give me something to do! Does anyone have a rain dance or some kind of Voodoo curse that will make it rain? Maybe Debra has some ghost friends with some ideas. All suggestions seriously considered! :rolleyes:

Channel catfish have been know to mate with flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris), blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), white catfish (Ameiurus catus), brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis), and black bullhead (Ameiurus melas), resulting in a variety of hybrid catfish.

[URL=http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:yrl2DfZkRocJ:www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/ChannelCatfish/ChannelCatfish.html+%22Ameiurus+natalis%22+%22Yellow+bullhead%
22++black+bullhead+hybrid&hl=en]http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:yrl2DfZkRocJ:www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/ChannelCatfish/ChannelCatfish.html+%22Ameiurus+natalis%22+ %22Yellow+bullhead%22++black+bul lhead+hybrid&hl=en[/URL]


Table 1. Fish hybrids documented by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency since1980
[Source: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (1983a, 1983b, 1984a, 1984b, 1985, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997)]
River carpsucker x quillback carpsucker Brown bullhead x black bullhead Bluegill x pumpkinseed
Hybrid x minnow Yellow bullhead x brown bullhead Bluegill x orangespotted sunfish
Carp x goldfish Striped bass x white bass Longear sunfish x bluegill
Striped shiner x river chub Hybrid x sunfish Longear x orangespotted sunfish
Striped shiner x rosyface shiner Green sunfish x bluegill Pumpkinseed x longear
Striped shiner x stoneroller Green sunfish x pumpkinseed Orangespotted sunfish x pumpkinseed
Striped shiner x hornyhead chub Green sunfish x longear Sauger x walleye
Striped shiner x rosefin shiner Green sunfish x orangespotted sunfish Rainbow darter x orangethroat darter
Striped shiner x creek chub Green sunfish x hybrid

River carpsucker x quillback carpsucker Brown bullhead x black bullhead Bluegill x pumpkinseed
Hybrid x minnow Yellow bullhead x brown bullhead Bluegill x orangespotted sunfish
Carp x goldfish Striped bass x white bass Longear sunfish x bluegill
Striped shiner x river chub Hybrid x sunfish Longear x orangespotted sunfish
Striped shiner x rosyface shiner Green sunfish x bluegill Pumpkinseed x longear
Striped shiner x stoneroller Green sunfish x pumpkinseed Orangespotted sunfish x pumpkinseed
Striped shiner x hornyhead chub Green sunfish x longear Sauger x walleye
Striped shiner x rosefin shiner Green sunfish x orangespotted sunfish Rainbow darter x orangethroat darter
Striped shiner x creek chub Green sunfish x hybrid


Guys, this is some kind of code for sure. Somehow I'm certain that the meaning of life is hidden somewhere within this text.

Sunil :

It just shows how mixed up Ohio is or that their EPA is in fish classification. One or the other is a real mix.

I would like to see a hornyhead chub Green sunfish. :rolleyes: This must be something that Bruce put together with the help of lots of gases and __caines! Only a Green Sunfish on cocaine could love a hornyhead chub!

Here is the link ,look at chart page 4 for the crosses.

http://oh.water.usgs.gov/reports/fishspecies5.pdf