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Home Areas and Swimways in Channel Catfish Culture Ponds
Author(s) -
Randolph Kenneth N.,
Clemens Howard P.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1976)105<725:haasic>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - catfish , channel (broadcasting) , fishery , geography , biology , fish <actinopterygii> , computer science , telecommunications
Three distinct behavior patterns were recognized in the daily routine of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) in culture ponds: (1) occupancy of home areas; (2) daily trip to the feeding station; and (3) feeding. When the fish were not in home areas they were going to or from the feeding station by specific routes or swimways. The pond bottom in home areas and swimways was hard and free from silt while the remainder of the pond bottom had a layer of soft mud and silt. Ponds stocked with similar size fish had fewer and larger home areas, and fewer but wider swimways, than ponds stocked with mixed sizes. In the spring and fall, home areas and swimways were in shallows but during summer and winter they were in deeper parts of the pond.