Body coloration is a brownish mottling over light background with a creamy white belly. The spotted bullhead also is mottled, but its dorsal, caudal and anal fins have dark margins opposed to the nearly clear or light margins of the brown bullhead. These barbels can be used to help it find food. Southern Canada, south to Mexico. Their distribution has been extended from the original range due to their introduction to many waterways.
Bullheads are mostly bottom dwellers.
They like minimal current and plenty of vegetation. They often inhabit bodies of water with deep holes and mud sand or gravel substrate. Insects, plants, carrion, small fish, snails, crayfish, worms and leeches. Favorite baits include chicken livers, worms, doughballs, small bucktail or plastic tail jigs. The coloration of its body provides great camouflage.