Stone Cat

Characteristics

Body color is yellowish-green to olive above and light below. The premaxillary band of teeth, a pad-like band on the upper jaw, is U-shaped, and the chin barbels are yellow. There are usually 16 rays in the anal fin. This fish has been known to reach 12-inches long, but it rarely exceeds 6- to 8-inches. Most anglers can distinguish this species from the other catfishes, but some confuse them with the young of other species.

Distribution

Common in swift-flowing streams and widely distributed in the interior streams; taken occasionally in some of the natural lakes and in the Mississippi River.

Foods

Small fish, aquatic invertebrates

State Record

State Records are not documented for non-game species.

Expert Tip

None

Details

The Stone Cat, together with the other madtoms, represents the smallest fish in the catfish family. The Stone Cat spawns in spring and, like all catfish, builds a nest and guards the eggs and young. Madtoms show nocturnal behavior and probably spawn in areas of darkness, like under rocks or in bank hides. The Stone Cat is the largest of the madtoms and lays between 500 and 1,000 eggs at a time. It prefers stream riffle habitats, but is also found under rocks or weedy shorelines of lakes and ponds.

Like most catfish, they are omnivorous and extremely adaptable in seeking food items in ponds and lakes.

Recent stream sampling information is available from Iowa DNR's biological monitoring and assessment program.