HomeFreshwater aquarium fishCatfish & plecosHeadwater catfish Headwater catfish (Ictalurus lupus) Scientific name: Ictalurus lupus Girard, 1858 The Headwater catfish (Ictalurus lupus) is a freshwater fish of the family Ictaluridae. Native range: North America, USA to Rio Grande drainage including Pecos River system in southeast New Mexico and Devils River in southern Texas; also in northeastern Mexico. BiologyInhabits sandy and rocky riffles, runs and pools of clear creeks and small rivers and also springs. Greatly resembles a small channel catfish, however, body lacks spots and the caudal fin is not deeply forked, the base of the anal fin is longer than the head length (see ).Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameIctalurus lupusFamilyIctaluridae (North American freshwater catfishes)OrderSiluriformes (Catfish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length48.0EnvironmentFreshwater; demersalClimateSubtropicalDistributionNorth America: USA to Rio Grande drainage including Pecos River system in southeast New Mexico and Devils River in southern Texas; also in northeastern Mexico.Conservation status (IUCN)Data deficient (DD)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercialResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More catfish & plecosPhilippine catfishClarias batrachusSuckermouth catfishHypostomus plecostomusChannel catfishIctalurus punctatusAmazon sailfin catfishPterygoplichthys pardalisAdolf's catfishCorydoras adolfoiCorydoras armatusSee all catfish & plecos SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026