Bullhead Hornpout while Diving & Metal Detecting

Bullhead Hornpout while Diving & Metal Detecting at Swan Lake State Park Swanville, Maine.Show more

This is one of the weirdest and coolest fish to see underwater. It's a Catfish more specifically a Bullhead Hornpout or a mud cat. It lives on the bottoms of lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams. It comes out at night to feed, vacuuming up worms, fish and fish eggs, insects, leeches, plants, crustaceans, frogs – you name it.

Adults have few predators thanks to the three venomous spines on their pectoral and dorsal fins. When deployed, the spines can do some serious damage, as any angler who treats the hornpout non-cavalier can tell you. I had 2 large Bullheads following me around and about 300 baby Bullheads, I'll show them off in another video coming up.

Another interesting fact about Bullhead Hornpouts they can breathe through their skin. Eats almost anything. Has a wickedly effective defense mechanism and is a really focused parent.