Hardhead Catfish
Ariopsis felis
The Hardhead Catfish is a common gray coastal fish with a bony head plate, six mouth barbels, and sharp venomous spines.
Hardhead Catfish thrive in bays, estuaries, beaches, canals, and coastal water with sand or mud bottoms. They tolerate changing salinity and often form schools in shallow water.
Like the Gafftopsail Catfish, males carry fertilized eggs in the mouth. Anglers catch hardheads frequently while fishing with shrimp or cut bait near the bottom.
Habitat:
Estuaries and Bays, Coastal Waters, Canals and Ditches, Mangroves and Salt Marshes
Area / Range:
Gulf Coast, Atlantic Coast, South Florida, Florida Keys
Diet:
It feeds on shrimp, crabs, worms, mollusks, small fish, and organic material from the bottom.
Behavior:
Hardheads forage near the bottom, travel in schools, and enter brackish canals and river mouths. Males mouth-brood eggs and newly hatched young.
Day, Night
Active Times:
Best time to see:
Year-round around bays, canals, beaches, piers, bridges, and docks, especially while bottom fishing.
Florida Native Status:
Native
Conservation Status:
Abundant and not listed as threatened or endangered.
Safety Level:
Moderate Risk
Safety Information:
The dorsal and pectoral spines can cause a deep, painful puncture. Keep the fish controlled, use long-handled tools, and seek care for severe pain, swelling, or infection signs.
Benefits to Property:
It removes small bottom animals and organic material while serving as prey for larger fish, birds, dolphins, and sharks.
Property Concerns:
It does not damage property. Improperly discarded fish, hooks, and line create odor, injury, and wildlife entanglement hazards.
Fun Fact:
Male Hardhead Catfish hold eggs in the mouth for weeks and may continue sheltering the young after they hatch.
Wildlife Laws:
Florida saltwater fishing license and current gear and harvest rules apply. Never leave caught fish or fishing line on shore, docks, or seawalls.
Identification:
The body is smooth, gray to bronze, and scaleless with a deeply forked tail. Three pairs of barbels surround the mouth. A hard bony plate behind the eyes gives the fish its name.
Credits:
Facts: Florida Museum. Images: primary and secondary.