Channel catfish are cavity spawners, which means they lay their eggs in some type of container. In the wild that could be a hollow log or a rock structure. At the Las Animas Hatchery, we provide them with a PVC container that resembles an old milk can.

Channel catfish usually reach sexual maturity at four years of age. Once they reach maturity they are introduced to the spawning ponds where the males will claim a spawning container and set up housekeeping. He will clean the container and start guarding it against other male rivals. Once a female has decided he will make a suitable mate, she will enter the container and begin laying eggs. When she is done laying eggs and the male has fertilized the eggs, she leaves the male to guard and care for the eggs.

Hatchery personnel will check the spawning containers every four days and remove the eggs. The eggs are taken to the hatchery building where they are placed in hatching jars until hatching is completed. The newly hatched fry are then placed in nurse tanks where they are fed a starter diet before going outdoors to grow-out ponds. When the f ingerlings reach the appropriate size they are stocked to lakes all around the state.