Ictalurus punctatus is monogamous and has an extensive courtship behavior that might only last one mating season. The male and female mate in the summer but the relationship is established earlier in the year. Mating takes place when the male swims along the female in the opposite direction. Their tails wrap around the others head to begin mating. When the male’s body shivers the female is stimulated and the eggs and milt are released. The mass of eggs is deposited in a nest built by the female or by both the male and the female. After mating has occurred the male chases away the female and then guards the eggs until they hatch (Mayhew, 1987).
Mating System: monogamous
Channel catfish spawn in the summer. After hatching the juveniles take from two days to two weeks until they are independent. Channel catfish make nests in hidden places, for example, in enclosed cans, under overhangs or in deep holes that provide extra protection from predators (Chapman, 2004; Northwest Power and Concervation Council-Subbasin Planning, 2004).
Breeding interval: Breeding occurs once yearly.
Breeding season: Spawning occurs in the summer, May through July.
Range number of offspring: 3,000 to 50,000.
Range time to hatching: 4 to 10 days.
Range time to independence: 0.5 to 4 weeks.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 2 to 3 years.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 2 to 3 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; sexual ; fertilization (External ); oviparous
Channel catfish parents invest a lot into their offspring. After spawning the male chases the female away from the nest, but she does not leave completely. She will protect her eggs from a distance. The male and female will attack predators and chase them away with an open mouth but will not eat them. The male also provides the juveniles with a source of food by burrowing, a process where the fish swim down into the mud on the bottom of the body of water and thrash from side to side stirring up food particles for the offspring to eat (McKaye et al., 1994). The female also provides food for the juveniles by positioning her body about a meter above the nest and then releasing eggs for the juveniles to eat. Together the male and female provide protection and food for their young (Vallentgoed, 2004).
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female)