About Ictalurus furcatus (Valenciennes, 1840)
Identification: Blue catfish are frequently misidentified as channel catfish. They have heavy bodies, a blueish gray coloration, and a distinct dorsal hump. The most reliable method to distinguish blue catfish from channel catfish is counting the number of rays on the anal fin: blue catfish have 30–36 anal fin rays, while channel catfish have 25–29. Blue catfish also have barbels, a deeply forked tail, and a protruding upper jaw. Most adult blue catfish typically reach around two feet (0.61 m) in length, but they can grow to at least five feet (1.5 m) long and can weigh more than 100 pounds (45 kg).
