Scientific Name: Ictaluras melas
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
Name:Black Bullhead
Scientific Name: Ictaluras melas
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
The black bullhead is a catfish. It is called a cat fish because of its eight catlike whiskers and its lack of fish scales. This fish can survive in murky and polluted waters and lives in reservoirs and farm ponds. (ODNR, 16)
Name:Blackside Darter
Scientific Name: Percina maculata
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
The blackside darter is a black and white fish. It lives in clear streams and sometimes can be observed feeding in the water while the water current is slow. (ODNR, 20)
Name:Bluntnose Minnow
Scientific Name: Pimephales notatus
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
The bluntnose minnow is the most common minnow in Ohio and can live anywhere from small brooks to large streams. Its mouth is round and has a black stripe running from its head to its tail, with a black spot on its tail. The bluntnose minnow lays its eggs on the underside of rocks and other debris in the water. It feeds on insects, decayed vegetation, and algae on or near the streambed. (ODNR, 15-16)
Name:Brindled Madtom
Scientific Name: Noturus miurus
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
These fish are brown-tan in color. They are common in streams in southeastern Ohio. They live in waters with sandy or gravel bottoms and they hide in between leaves during the day. There are several species madtoms that are endangered. Including northern, mountain, and Scioto madtoms. (ODNR, 17)
Name:Brook Stickleback
Scientific Name: Culaea inconstans
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
The brook stickleback is small, olive-green in color, and has no fish scales. It lives in cool vegetated brooks and streams. They feed on small aquatic insects and crustaceans and are very territorial. (ODNR, 24)
Name:Crayfish
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
This is a cray fish which is also known as crawdad. It is a crustacean. Sometimes it is called a freshwater lobster because it has four pair of walking legs and a large pair of claws used for fighting and eating. During the day, they hide under rocks, but at night they come out of hiding and become active. (ODNR, 7)
Name:Greenside Darter
Scientific Name: Etheostoma blennioides
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
The greenside darter is one of the most brightly colored fish during the springtime. They have a small mouth and feed on little flies and blackfly larvae. These fish are found where there are algae-covered rocks. (ODNR, 21)
Name:Horney Head Chub
Scientific Name: Nocomis biguttatus
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
Horney head chubs are very similar in size, shape, and color to creek chubs. They can grow from 5 to 7 inches long. They have "horns" on their heads. This is where they get their name. Horneyhead chubs build their nests in shallow moving water. Usually the nests are circular, three feet wide, and six inches high. (ODNR, 12)
Name:Long Nose Gar
Scientific Name: Lepisosteus osseus
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
The long nose gar is identified by its long pointed snout. They have small needle like teeth for which they eat mostly fish. They go after their prey with quick movements. These fish live in large streams for most of the year. The female long nose gar can live to be more than 20 years old and grow to a length of 4 1/2 feet. (ODNR,10)
Name:Mollusks
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
Mollusks are known as invertebrates. Mollusks, crayfish, and aquatic insects are well known stream invertebrates. Mollusks are large shelled animals with soft, smooth bodies, gills, and a foot. (ODNR, 6) Adults can vary in length from 1 or 2 mm to 22 m.. Most produce a hard exterior shell and its body is soft and has no regularly organized internal skeleton. (Grzimek, 19-21)
Name:Mussel
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
Mussels have two shell halves. The mussels of Ohio's streams are filter feeders. Currently, mussels are less frequently seen in the rivers and streams of Ohio because of the deteriorating habitat. The inside of most of Ohio mussels contain a pearly lining. These mussels can be found in the shallow, quick flowing parts of the rivers. They have a life span of 20 to 40 years and their age can be found by counting the annual rings on their outer shell. (ODNR, 6)
Name:Mottled Sculpin
Scientific Name: Cottus bairdi
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
This fish has a big head, big mouth, and big eyes. Its basic color is brown except during breeding season when it turns dark and develops orange on its fins and it changes color to match its surroundings. These fish live in streams that are cool, clear, and rocky and dwells at the bottom of streams. They hide among rocks and feed on insects and sometimes their prey is larger than itself. (ODNR, 24)
Name:Northern Hog Sucker
Scientific Name: Hypentelium nigricans
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
This fish is very commonly found in Ohio's streams. They live in the rocky section of the stream where the water current is moderate. They mostly feed on aquatic insects and other animals on the bottom of the stream. (ODNR, 11)
Name:Orangethroat Darter
Scientific Name: Etheostoma spectabile
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
This fish is closely related to the rainbow darter because they are capable of hybridizing. The orangethroat darter can be found in small streams only a few inches deep. They are only found in the western part of Ohio. (ODNR, 23)
Name:Rainbow Darters
Scientific Name: Etheostoma caeruleum
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
The rainbow darter is found in large streams where the current is slow and the water is shallow. They can also be found in small streams where the bottom is rocky and the water is clear. Rainbow darters feed on snails, aquatic insects, and other aquatic animals. (ODNR, 23)
Name:Small Mouth Bass
Family: Centrarchidae
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
The small mouth bass belong to the family of fishes called Centrarchidae. They are known as sunfishes. There are 13 species of sunfish including basses, bluegills, and crappies. They can be seen in streams where the water is current is swift or behind rocks. Sunfish feed on other fish, mollusks, crayfish, and insects. (ODNR, 18)
Name:Southern Redbelly Dace
Scientific Name: Phoxinus erythrogaster
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
The red belly if this fish is more commonly seen during the middle of May when the fish is spawning. Redbelly dace can be seen schooling and feeding with other minnows in their habitats. They feed on algae growing on the bottom of brooks. (ODNR, 13)
Name:Spotted Darter
Scientific Name: Etheostoma maculatum
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
The color of this fish varies, sometimes they are tan and others are nearly black. This species was first discovered in northeast Ohio by Jared P. Kirtland, of Cleveland and was once called Kirtland's Darter. It is currently on the state's endangered species list. (ODNR, 22)
Name:Stonecat
Scientific Name: Noturus flavus
Picture by The Ohio Dept. Of Natural Resources
It is the most common catfish in Ohio and its habitat varies from small streams to large rivers. During the day, it hides under rocks and logs and it becomes active at night. They feed on other small fishes and aquatic insects. (ODNR, 17)