A typical 3 oz cooked serving of catfish contains 15.6 grams of protein (18.4 g per 100 g), which makes it a very good source of protein. That covers roughly 31% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it can anchor a high-protein meal for the day.
Protein accounts for roughly 51% of the calories in catfish, making it very protein-dense. The rest comes from fat and carbohydrate, so it adds a solid amount of protein while still carrying real energy - useful when you are eating to a calorie target rather than under one.
Among the 121 seafood in the database, catfish ranks 94th by protein per serving, and 234th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against oysters, another seafood entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (oysters has 16.1 g per 3 oz cooked).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving above is measured by weight at 85 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #175166 - "Fish, catfish, channel, farmed, cooked, dry heat" (SR Legacy, published 4/1/2019). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Catfish protein FAQ
How much protein is in catfish per 100 g?
Catfish has 18.4 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 3 oz cooked serving (85 g) provides 15.6 g.
Is catfish a complete protein?
Yes. Catfish is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
How much of the Daily Value does a serving of catfish cover?
A 3 oz cooked serving of catfish contains 15.6 g of protein, about 31% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Is catfish a good source of protein?
Catfish is a very good source of protein, and about 51% of its calories come from protein, which makes it very protein-dense. Set against oysters, another seafood entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (oysters has 16.1 g per 3 oz cooked).