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A channel catfish’s anal fin has 24 to 29 rays and a rounded edge
| Channel Cat Anal Fin |
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A channel cat’s tail is more deeply forked than other catfish
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<-- Channel Cat - Blue Cat -->
As you can see in the channel cat picture to the left, young channel cats often have speckles that wear off as they mature.
Young blue cats will not have these speckles.
As many channel cats mature, or come into spawn they will develope a light blue or slate blue color, thus well imitating
a blue. Blue cats usually will maintain this color throughout their lives.
If you'll notice in the pictures, the channel cats head is fairly proportioned to its body. While
the blue cats head is significantly smaller than its other bodily proportions.
Observe how the channel cats body is fairly narrow from front to back on the side picture. Blue catfish
have a distinct "wedge" type shape to them, and bigger ones will very often have obese looking guts.
With exception to the flathead, all catfish have an overbite, the channel cat is no exception. The
overbite in the blue cat however is much more noticable.
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A blue catfish’s anal fin has 30 or more rays and a straighter edge than
a channel catfish.
| Blue Cat Anal Fin |
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