Black Bullhead

Whiskered Wonder of the Deeper Wetlands

A swarm of tiny black fish hovers in the shallow water at the edge of the wetland. Be careful! Grabbing one of these fish can give youa sharp jab. They may be sharp, but each fo these young black bullhead is well-protected by a large, sharp spine on its back and one sticking out each side just behind its head. Because of these spines, predators that eat other fish do not often eat a black bullhead.

Not many other fish can live in the warm, shallow, low-oxygen waters of the wetlands. But here the black bullhead is quite at home. You might say the black bullhead is one tough fish. This fish is so tough it can even live in some polluted waters where other fish cannot survive. The black bullhead is a member of the catfish family because it has 6 long skinny barbels that look like a cat's whiskers. The barbels are the bullheads' fingers and tongues. The bullhead uses the barbels to feel its way along in muddy water and at night. Tastebuds on the barbel allow the bullhead to taste the food they touch.

Black bullheads eat whatever food is available. They eat plants, insects, small crayfish, leeches, snails, frogs, small fish, and even dead animals. Because they usually eat at night, bullheads use their barbels (along with other methods of tasting, smelling, and touching) to find their food instead of using their eyes. Black bullheads do not really need their eyes, but they could use a pair of glasses. Their eyes are small, and they cannot see as well as other fishes. But they are not blind.

The black bullhead is a good parent. The female builds an underwater nest on which to lay her eggs. She sweeps the bottom with her fins and pushes pebbles with her nose until a small cup-shaped nest is formed. The nest is closely guarded by both male and female until the eggs have hatched. When the young fish are big enough, they leave the nest, swimming in a tight mass called a school. Under their parents' watchful eyes, the school of young fish feeds until they are about one inch long. Then the parents leave, and the school is on its own. The young fish move to shallow shorelines to feed, relying on their spines for protection.

People enjoy fishing for black bullhead because they can be caught easily with worms, liver, or almost any kind of meat. They put up a good fight and are very tasty.