Meet our West Fork White River's Freshwater Stream Fish
The 2020 Bureau of Water Quality Annual Fish Community Report recorded 65 species of fish found in the many streams (~250 miles!) of Delaware County, Indiana.
Please note: this page is still in-progress. Check back for more illustrations & fish facts about our colorful river dwellers!
Bluegills are known for their blue gills!
SCROLL DOWN TO START LEARNING & USE THESE HELPFUL TERMS:
Aquatic invertebrate = animals with no backbone (worms, snails, crayfish, insect larvae)
Forage = to search for food
Larva = juvenile form of an insect (caterpillar, grub)
Mouth, subterminal = ventral mouth; turned downward
Mouth, terminal = located in the middle of the head, points forward; jaws the same length
Opercular = a hard, bony flap that covers & protects the gills of a bony fish
Pollution intolerant (sensitive species) = organisms that cannot survive in poor water quality
Pollution tolerant = organisms that can survive in poor water quality
Riffle = shallow, fast moving sections of a stream where rocks break the water surface (adds oxygen to water)
Tubercle = skin nodules (lumps) made of keratin
Can't find a word you're looking for? Check out the glossary for more terms & resources.
OR, SKIP TO A FISH:
Lepomis megalotis
LONGEAR SUNFISH
Other common names: sunperch, pumpkinseed, creek perch
Kingdom = Animalia (animals)
Phylum = Chordata (chordates)
Subphylum = Vertebrata (vertebrates)
Class = Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order = Centrarchiformes (basses)
Family = Centrarchidae (sunfishes)
Genus = Lepomis
CHARACTERISTICS
Length = up to 280 mm (about 11")
Lifespan = 6 years
Mouth = moderate-sized
Fins = spiny dorsal with 10 spines
Colors = blue/green sides; yellow/orange belly
Other = elongated opercular flap (a "long ear")
Diet = insects, aquatic invertebrates, small fishes
Habitat = slow moving streams, with a clear gravel bottom & dense plants
This species is sensitive; pollution intolerant.
Nocomis micropogon
RIVER CHUB
Other common names:
Kingdom = Animalia (animals)
Phylum = Chordata (chordates)
Subphylum = Vertebrata (vertebrates)
Class = Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order = Cypriniformes (carps)
Family = Cyprinidae (minnows)
Genus = Nocomis
CHARACTERISTICS
Length = up to 245mm (about 10")
Lifespan = 5 years
Mouth = large; slightly subterminal
Fins = 8 dorsal fin rays
Colors = olive green, with orange/red fins; males can be pink/purple/blue when breeding
Other = long snout; small eyes; tubercles on head
Diet = insects, aquatic invertebrates, algae, plants,
Habitat = swift small-medium sized rivers with clear, gravel or rocky bottoms; builds nests
This species is sensitive; pollution intolerant.
Cyprinella spiloptera
SPOTFIN SHINER
Other common names: silver-finned minnow, satin-finned minnow
Kingdom = Animalia (animals)
Phylum = Chordata (chordates)
Subphylum = Vertebrata (vertebrates)
Class = Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order = Cypriniformes (carps)
Family = Cyprinidae (carps + minnows)
Genus = Pogonichthyinae
CHARACTERISTICS
Length = up to 106mm (about 4")
Lifespan = 5 years
Mouth = terminal
Fins = 8 anal fin rays
Colors = black on last 3 dorsal fins; males become gray-blue with yellow fins
Other = diamond shaped scales, outlined in black; small tubercles on head
Diet = insects, aquatic invertebrates
Habitat = small-medium rivers, with a sandy or gravel bottom
This species is pollution tolerant.
Etheostoma caeruleum
RAINBOW DARTER
Other common names:
Kingdom = Animalia (animals)
Phylum = Chordata (chordates)
Subphylum = Vertebrata (vertebrates)
Class = Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order = Perciformes (perch-like)
Family = Percidae (perches)
Genus = Etheostomatinae
CHARACTERISTICS
Length = up to 68mm (about 2.5")
Lifespan = 3 years
Mouth = restricted movement
Fins = straight tail; 2 dorsal fins
Colors = brown-olive green, orange-red, & blue-green; males are more colorful
Other = 8 - 13 blue-green bands on dorsal side
Diet = larvae, mayfly nymphs, fish eggs
Habitat = fast riffles in creeks, small rivers, & streams, with sandy or gravel bottom
This species is sensitive; pollution intolerant.
Percina caprodes
LOGPERCH
Other common names: common logperch, zebra fish
Kingdom = Animalia (animals)
Phylum = Chordata (chordates)
Subphylum = Vertebrata (vertebrates)
Class = Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order = Perciformes (perch-like)
Family = Percidae (perches)
Genus = Percina
CHARACTERISTICS
Length = up to 200mm (about 8")
Lifespan = 3 years
Mouth = subterminal
Fins = 2 dorsal fins
Colors = pale yellow/brown/green with black tiger-like pattern
Other = travel alone or in small groups; flips over stones with its snout
Diet = larvae, mayflies, caddisflies, fish eggs (flips over stones with its snout to forage)
Habitat = shallow, fast riffles in creeks, rivers, streams & reservoirs; sandy or gravel bottom
This species is sensitive; pollution intolerant.
Luxilus chrysocephalus
STRIPED SHINER
Other common names:
Kingdom = Animalia (animals)
Phylum = Chordata (chordates)
Subphylum = Vertebrata (vertebrates)
Class = Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order = Cypriniformes (carps, minnows, loaches)
Family = Cyprinidae (minnows)
Genus = Luxilus
CHARACTERISTICS
Length = up to 130 mm (about 5")
Lifespan = 4 years
Mouth = large, terminal
Fins = milky-clear;
Colors = silvery scales; olive green, gold; pink (males)
Other = deep-bodied; stripes
Diet = insects, aquatic invertebrates, algae, plants
Habitat = flowing streams with clean gravel or rock bottom; dense plants
This species is sensitive; pollution intolerant.
Hypentelium nigricans
NORTHERN HOG SUCKER
Other common names: hogsucker, hogmolly, hognose sucker, hog mullet, stoneroller, box head
Kingdom = Animalia (animals)
Phylum = Chordata (chordates)
Subphylum = Vertebrata (vertebrates)
Class = Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order = Cypriniformes (carps, minnows, loaches)
Family = Catostomidae (suckers)
Genus = Hypentelium
CHARACTERISTICS
Length = up to 610mm (24")
Lifespan = 11 years
Mouth = tip of snout, bottom
Fins = tail is forked
Colors = olive green, brown, white; dark & light stripes
Other = square, bony head; overturns rocks with its snout
Diet = insects, larvae, aquatic invertebrates, algae
Habitat = clear, fast-flowing creeks, streams, & rivers; rocky riffles
This species is sensitive; pollution intolerant.
Lepomis macrochirus
BLUEGILL
Other common names: blue sunfish, sunperch, copperbelly, plumb granny
Kingdom = Animalia (animals)
Phylum = Chordata (chordates)
Subphylum = Vertebrata (vertebrates)
Class = Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order = Centrarchiformes (basses)
Family = Centrarchidae (sunfishes)
Genus = Lepomis
CHARACTERISTICS
Length = up to 410mm (about 16")
Lifespan = 4 - 6 years
Mouth = small
Fins = tail slightly forked, rounded
Colors = olive green, yellow; blue & purple gills
Other = most active at dawn; black ear flap
Diet = insects, shrimp, small fishes, worms, snails, plants
Habitat = lakes; slow-moving streams with a rocky bottom
This species is sensitive; pollution intolerant.
Micropterus dolomieu
SMALLMOUTH BASS
Other common names: smallmouth, black bass, brown bass, bronzeback, redeye bass
Kingdom = Animalia (animals)
Phylum = Chordata (chordates)
Subphylum = Vertebrata (vertebrates)
Class = Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order = Centrarchiformes (basses)
Family = Centrarchidae (sunfishes)
Genus = Micropterus
CHARACTERISTICS
Length = up to 500mm (20")
Lifespan = 6 - 14 years
Mouth = large; upper jaw stops at eye
Fins = spiny dorsal with 9 - 11 spines
Colors = olive green, gold, brown; yellow-white belly
Other = 8 - 16 dark vertical stripes on side; red-brown eyes
Diet = insects, aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, small fishes
Habitat = cool rivers, lakes, & reservoirs with rocky or sandy bottom; use structures (logs, rocks, piers)
This species is sensitive; pollution intolerant.
thanks for learning about our local fish!
a note from the artist + developer:
happy learning! – kort
hello! this page is in-progress – our local waterways have many more freshwater stream fish left for me to paint, so keep checking back for new fish & other content to learn, create, explore, collab, & enjoy.
in the meantime, use the sources & helpful links below to study fish!
SOURCES & HELPFUL LINKS
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Muncie Sanitary District Bureau of Water Quality
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2020 Bureau of Water Quality Annual Fish Community Report (March 2021 Drew Holloway, Fisheries Biologist, BWQ)
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Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
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Animal Information Series - Bluegill (Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife)
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Other Fish Resources