Polyculture studies were conducted in coastal brackish ponds evaluating buffalo (Ictiobus spp.) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) combinations. The 1973 and 1974 southwest Louisiana studies demonstrated feeding to be necessary, without it, buffalo were found to compete with catfish for natural foods. Bigmouth buffalo (I. cyprinellus), black buffalo (I. niger) and bigmouth x black hybrid buffalo when stocked at 100 per acre with 1,600 and 2,000 catfish did not compete to any extent for supplemental feed. Addition of buffalo in some ponds actually resulted in increased catfish production. Results showed average buffalo production ranged up to 300 pounds per acre in addition to catfish production. The stocking of buffalo will supplement incomes where the demand for this fish is high.
