Biologist Repurposes Excess Clay Pipes to Make Improvised Catfish Habitats, "Catfish Casas"

Clay pipes left over from factories are being transformed by a biologist into "catfish casas," which are makeshift habitats for catfish.

When fish biologist Chad Menke learned that clay tile pipes might be available, he seized the chance to purchase a few from Can-Clay Corporation in Cannelton for use with catfish when the company decided to get rid of its excess stock.

Clay Pipes

According to experts, catfish prefer an enclosed space with just one entrance and exit, which helps them guard the underwater nests more successfully.

As a member of the Hoosier National Forest Green Team, a team of internal Forest Service staff members working to improve the sustainability of the work and operations there.

Menke was also happy to reuse anything that was going to be thrown away because he could use the tiles as a place for catfish to nest.

Catfish Casas

Menke needed the means to enclose one end of the clay pipe and a portion of the other end once he had the eight to 18-inch diameter clay tiles to build what he called the ideal "catfish casa," or artificial catfish nesting habitat.

Another material was used because a coworker had some old metal signage that was no longer needed but would suffice once cut to size.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources routinely stocks catfish in several ponds on the Hoosier National Forest, including German Ridge, Grouse Hollow, Sundance Lake, Maines, and Deer Ponds, among others.

Deploying Improvised Habitats

Menke built the catfish casas and this fall started placing them in ponds with catfish.

Each pond contained a variety of sized casas to accommodate various-sized fish.

The buildings were well-built, but because they were made of metal and clay, they sank to the bottom, where catfish build their nests.

An Indiana University ecosystem management class visited their field lab in late October.

They received instruction from Menke and colleagues on pond management as well as watersheds, and the students took part in a fish survey in which they caught fish and gathered information about them.

At Tincher Pond in Lawrence County, they also had the chance to set up some catfish casas.

Fish habitat has been successfully created using similar structures in Springs Valley Lake in the past.

The Hoosier National Forest is currently working to enhance its natural resources as well as recreational opportunities.

The use of the catfish casas may be determined by ongoing fish monitoring.

In addition to offering potential nesting sites, they give other fish and aquatic organisms in the pond's structure, benefiting both the fish and the environment, WBIW reported.

Catfish

Indiana is habitat to 13 species of catfish and madtoms, which can grow from two inches to over four feet long, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Some people may exceed 100 pounds.

The absence of scales, barbels near the mouths or "whiskers," the adipose fin (a small, fleshy fin on the back positioned between the tail and dorsal fin), and a sharp spine in the front of the dorsal and pectoral fins help identify catfish species.