List of Minnesota fish
Encyclopedia
There are about 161 species of fishes found naturally in Minnesota
waters, including Lake Superior
. The following list is based on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
.
The species
data on this page is taken from the Minnesota DNR, which also uses several labels to indicate a fish's status within Minnesota waters. An endangered fish species is near extinction
in Minnesota, a threatened species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future, and a special concern species is either extremely uncommon in Minnesota or has unique or highly specific habitat
requirements.
Several types of Minnesota fish are considered non-native invasive species
. A prohibited invasive species is illegal to possess in Minnesota without a permit, and a regulated invasive species is legal to possess but still may not be released into public
waters. Many invasive fish species are nonetheless already well-established.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
waters, including Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
. The following list is based on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recreational trails, and recreation areas as well as managing minerals,...
.
The species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
data on this page is taken from the Minnesota DNR, which also uses several labels to indicate a fish's status within Minnesota waters. An endangered fish species is near extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
in Minnesota, a threatened species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future, and a special concern species is either extremely uncommon in Minnesota or has unique or highly specific habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
requirements.
Several types of Minnesota fish are considered non-native invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
. A prohibited invasive species is illegal to possess in Minnesota without a permit, and a regulated invasive species is legal to possess but still may not be released into public
Public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...
waters. Many invasive fish species are nonetheless already well-established.
Coldwater sport fish
- Atlantic salmonAtlantic salmonThe Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
Salmo salar - BloaterCoregonus hoyiThe bloater is a species of freshwater whitefish in the family Salmonidae. It is a silvery-coloured herring-like fish, long. It is found in most of the Great Lakes and in Lake Nipigon, where it inhabits underwater slopes....
Coregonus hoyiCoregonus hoyiThe bloater is a species of freshwater whitefish in the family Salmonidae. It is a silvery-coloured herring-like fish, long. It is found in most of the Great Lakes and in Lake Nipigon, where it inhabits underwater slopes.... - Brook troutBrook troutThe brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
Salvelinus fontinalis - Brown troutBrown troutThe brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
Salmo trutta - CiscoCisco (fish)The ciscoes are salmonid fish of the genus Coregonus that differ from other members of the genus in having upper and lower jaws of approximately equal length and high gillraker counts...
Coregonus artedi commonly called "tulibee" or "lake herring" - Chinook salmonChinook salmonThe Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha - Coho salmonCoho salmonThe Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
Oncorhynchus kisutch - KiyiKiyiThe kiyi is a species of freshwater whitefish, a deepwater cisco, endemic to the Great Lakes of North America. It previously inhabited Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Ontario, but is now believed to persist only in Lake Superior where it is common...
Coregonus kiyi (special concern) - Lake troutLake troutLake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
Salvelinus namaycush - Lake whitefishLake whitefishThe lake whitefish , also called the Sault whitefish or gizzard fish, is a species of freshwater whitefish from North America. Lake whitefish are found throughout much of Canada and parts of the northern United States, including all of the Great Lakes. A valuable commercial fish, they are also...
Coregonus clupeaformis - Pink salmonPink salmonPink salmon or humpback salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is the smallest and most abundant of the Pacific salmon.- Appearance :...
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha - Pygmy whitefishPygmy WhitefishThe pygmy whitefish, Prosopium coulterii, is a freshwater whitefish of the genus Prosopium in the family Salmonidae. Found in the mountain streams and lakes west of North America, it also has isolated populations in Lake Superior and in Ekityki Lake, Chukchi Peninsula.- Description :The pygmy...
Prosopium coulterii - Rainbow smeltRainbow smeltThe rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, is an anadromous species of fish of the family Osmeridae. The distribution of Osmerus mordax is circumpolar. The rainbow smelt was introduced to the Great Lakes, and from there has made its way to various other places. Walleye, trout, and other larger fish prey on...
Osmerus mordax (regulated invasive) - Rainbow troutRainbow troutThe rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
Oncorhynchus mykiss - Round whitefishRound whitefishThe round whitefish is a freshwater species of fish that is found in lakes from Alaska to New England, including the Great Lakes. It has an olive-brown back with light silvery sides and underside and its size is generally between 9 and 19 inches long...
Prosopium cylindraceum - Shortjaw ciscoShortjaw ciscoThe shortjaw cisco is a deepwater cisco or chub . It has large, smooth scales and is iridescent silver, with a greenish back and white belly. The mouth is small and toothless, and the lower jaw is shorter than or equal in length to the upper jaw...
Coregonus zenithicus (special concern)
Warmwater sport fish
- Black bullheadBlack bullheadThe black bullhead, Ameiurus melas, is a species of bullhead catfish. Like other bullhead catfish, it has the ability to thrive in waters that are low in oxygen, brackish, turbid and/or very warm. It also has barbels located near its mouth, a broad head, spiny fins and no scales...
Ameiurus melas - Black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
- Blue catfishBlue catfishThe blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, is one of the largest species of North American catfish. Blue catfish are distributed primarily in the Mississippi River drainage including the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas rivers...
Ictalurus furcatus - BluegillBluegillThe Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
Lepomis macrochirus - Blue suckerBlue suckerThe blue sucker, Cycleptus elongatus, is a freshwater species of fish in the sucker family. Color is variable, from light steel-gray to almost black. The fish is streamlined, with a pointed head and a subterminal mouth...
Cycleptus elongatus (special concern) - Brown bullheadBrown bullheadThe brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus, is a fish of the Ictaluridae family that is widely distributed in North America. It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead and yellow bullhead...
Ameiurus nebulosus - BurbotBurbotThe burbot is the only gadiform fish inhabiting freshwaters. It is also known as mariah, the lawyer, and eelpout. It is closely related to the marine common ling and the cusk...
Lota lota may be referred to as "eelpout," "ling," or "lawyer" - Channel catfishChannel catfishChannel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
Ictalurus punctatus - Flathead catfishFlathead catfishThe flathead catfish , also called the yellow cat, opelousas, and shovelhead cat, are large North American freshwater catfish. This is the only species of the genus Pylodictis...
Pylodictis olivaris - Green sunfishGreen sunfishThe green sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. A panfish popular with anglers, the green sunfish is also kept as an aquarium fish by hobbyists. They are usually caught by accident, while fishing for other game fish...
Lepomis cyanellus - Lake sturgeonLake sturgeonThe lake sturgeon is a North American temperate freshwater fish, one of about 20 species of sturgeon. Like other sturgeons, this species is an evolutionarily ancient bottomfeeder with a partly cartilaginous skeleton and skin bearing rows of bony plates...
Acipenser fulvescens (special concern) - Largemouth bassLargemouth bassThe largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
Micropterus salmoides - Longear sunfishLongear sunfishThe longear sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is native to the an area of eastern North America stretching from the Great Lakes down to northeastern Mexico....
Lepomis megalotis - MuskellungeMuskellungeA muskellunge , also known as a muskelunge, muscallonge, milliganong, or maskinonge , is a large, relatively uncommon freshwater fish of North America. Muskellunge are the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae...
Esox masquinongy - Northern pikeNorthern PikeThe northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
Esox lucius - American paddlefishAmerican PaddlefishThe American paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, also called the Mississippi paddlefish or spoonbill, is a paddlefish living in slow-flowing waters of the Mississippi River drainage system. It appears to have been extirpated from Lake Erie and its tributaries. They are closely related to the sturgeons...
Polyodon spathula (threatened) - PumpkinseedPumpkinseedThe pumpkinseed sunfish is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is also referred to as "pond perch", "common sunfish", "punkys", and "sunny".-Range and distribution:...
Lepomis gibbosus - Rock bassRock bassThe rock bass , also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, or red eye is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. They are similar in appearance to smallmouth bass but are usually quite a bit smaller...
Ambloplites rupestris - SaugerSaugerThe sauger is a freshwater perciform fish of the family Percidae which resembles its close relative the walleye. They are members of the largest vertebrate order, Perciforms. They are the most migratory percid species in North America. Saugers obtain two dorsal fins, the first is spiny and the...
Sander canadense - Shovelnose sturgeonShovelnose sturgeonThe shovelnose sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus platorynchus, is the smallest species of freshwater sturgeon native to the United States of America. It is often called "hackleback", "sand sturgeon", or "switchtail." Switchtail refers to the long filament found on the upper lobe of the caudal fin...
Scaphirhynchus platorynchus - Smallmouth bassSmallmouth bassThe smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
Micropterus dolomieu - WalleyeWalleyeWalleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
Sander vitreus - WarmouthWarmouthThe common name of Lepomis gulosus is the warmouth. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.-Introduction:The following is a description of a monitoring plan for the Warmouth . One of the eleven species in the Lepomis genus, the species name gulosus refers to the warmouths big eyes...
Lepomis gulosus - White bassWhite bassThe white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass (MoroneIt is the state fish of Oklahoma.- Range :White bass are distributed widely across the United States, particularly in the midwest. They are very abundant in Pennsylvania and the area around Lake Erie...
Morone chrysops - White crappie Pomoxis annularis
- White perchWhite perchThe white perch, Morone americana, is not a true perch but is, rather, a fish of the temperate bass family, Moronidae, notable as a food and game fish in eastern North America.The name "white perch" is sometimes erroneously applied to the white crappie....
Morone americana (prohibited invasive) - Yellow bassYellow bassThe yellow bass or barfish, Morone mississippiensis, is a freshwater fish native to the south and midwestern United States. Though sometimes confused with white bass or striped bass, it is distinguished by its yellow belly and the broken pattern in its lowermost stripes...
Morone mississippiensis (special concern) - Yellow bullheadYellow bullheadThe yellow bullhead, is a species of bullhead catfish. Yellow bullhead are typically yellow-olive to slatey-black on the back and sometimes mottled depending on habitat. The sides are lighter and more yellowish while the underside of the head and body are bright yellow, yellow white, or bright...
Ameiurus natalis - Yellow perchYellow perchThe yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
Perca flavescens
Other sport fish
- American eelAmerican eelThe American eel, Anguilla rostrata, is a catadromous fish found on the eastern coast of North America. It has a snake-like body with a small sharp pointed head. It is brown on top and a tan-yellow color on the bottom. It has sharp pointed teeth but no pelvic fins...
Anguilla rostrata - Bigmouth buffaloBigmouth buffaloThe bigmouth buffalo, Ictiobus cyprinellus, also known as the gourd head, redmouth buffalo, buffalo fish, bernard buffalo, roundhead, or brown buffalo, is a large species of the Catostomidae or "sucker" family....
Ictiobus cyprinellus - Black buffaloBlack buffaloThis page is about a species. For the Indigenous American warchief, see Crazy Horse. For the Indigenous American woman see Black Buffalo Woman.-Introduction:...
Ictiobus niger (special concern) - Black redhorseBlack redhorseThe Black Redhorse , is a species of freshwater fish endemic to Ontario and the eastern half of the United States, where it lives in streams and small to medium rivers....
Moxostoma duquesnei - BowfinBowfinThe Bowfin, Amia calva, is the last surviving member of the order Amiiformes , and of the family Amiidae...
Amia calva sometimes call "dogfish" - Common carpCommon carpThe Common carp is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction, but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive...
Cyprinus carpio (regulated invasive) - Creek chub Semotilus atromaculatusSemotilus atromaculatusSemotilus atromaculatus is a small minnow found in the eastern two-thirds of the US and eastern Canada...
- Freshwater drumFreshwater Drum-Introduction:The freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens, is a fish endemic to North and Central America. It is the only species in the genus Aplodinotus. The Freshwater drum is a member of the family Sciaenidae, and is the only member of the species that inhabits freshwater for its entire life...
Aplodinotus grunniens often called "sheepshead" - Gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum
- Golden redhorseGolden redhorseThe golden redhorse, Moxostoma erythrurum, is a species of freshwater fish endemic to Ontario and Manitoba in Canada and the Midwestern, southern, and eastern United States. It lives in calm, often silty or sandy waters in streams, small to large rivers, and lakes.A bottom-feeder, it feeds on...
Moxostoma erythrurum - GoldeyeGoldeyeThe goldeye, Hiodon alosoides, is a species of fish in the mooneye family . It occurs from as far down the Mackenzie River as Aklavik in the north to Mississippi in the south, and from Alberta in the west to Ohio south of the Great Lakes, with an isolated population south of James Bay. It is...
Hiodon alosoides - GoldfishGoldfishThe goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish....
Carassius auratus (regulated invasive) - Greater redhorseGreater redhorseThe greater redhorse, Moxostoma valenciennesi, is a species of freshwater fish endemic to states in the northcentral and northeastern United States as well as Ontario and Quebec in Canada...
Moxostoma valenciennesi - Highfin carpsucker Carpiodes veliferCarpiodes velifer-Introduction:Carpiodes velifer, commonly known as the Highfin carpsucker, can be found throughout the Southeast and the Midwest United States but is most widely distributed in the Southeast. The Highfin carpsucker has been located as far north as upper Michigan, as far west as Nebraska, and in the...
- Longnose garLongnose garThe longnose gar, Lepisosteus osseus, is a primitive ray-finned fish of the gar family. It is also known as the needlenose gar.- Description :...
Lepisosteus osseus - Longnose suckerLongnose suckerThe longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus, is a freshwater species of fish inhabiting cold, clear waters in North America from northern USA to the top of the continent. In addition, it is one of two species of sucker to inhabit Asia, specifically the rivers of eastern Siberia...
Catostomus catostomus - MooneyeMooneyeThe mooneyes are a family, the Hiodontidae, of primitive ray-finned fish comprising two living and three extinct species in the genus Hiodon. They are large-eyed, fork-tailed fish that physically resemble shads. Their common name comes from the metallic gold or silver shine of their eyes.The higher...
Hiodon tergisus - Northern hogsuckerNorthern hogsuckerThe northern hogsucker, Hypentelium nigricans, belongs to the Catostomidae family of sucker fish. The fish inhabits the rivers of the Mississippi basin, found from Oklahoma and Alabama northward to Minnesota. It prefers clear, fast streams, where it can forage through pebbles for bottom life,...
Hypentelium nigricans - QuillbackQuillbackThe quillback is a type of freshwater fish of the sucker family. It grows to 26 inches and are deeper bodied than most suckers, leading to a carplike appearance. It can be distinguished from carp by the lack of barbels around the mouth. The coloration is silvery and it has large scales...
Carpiodes cyprinus - River carpsucker Carpiodes carpioCarpiodes carpioThe common name of Carpiodes carpio is the river carpsucker. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee. This article is about the Carpiodes carpio, also known by its common name the “River Carpsucker.” What follows is a paper detailing a monitoring plan for this species. This fish...
- River redhorseRiver redhorseThe river redhorse, Moxostoma carinatum, is a species of freshwater fish endemic to the eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada. Their weight ranges from 2-10 lbs. It is typically found in clear, large creeks and rivers, though it is sometimes also found in lakes...
Moxostoma carinatum - Shorthead redhorseShorthead redhorse-Introduction:The Shorthead Redhorse is a wide-ranging species in North America that needs to be monitored throughout its range. The Shorthead Redhorse is native to central and eastern North America. However, its range has expanded to include areas like the Hudson estuary and Grayson County, Texas...
Moxostoma macrolepidotum - Shortnose garShortnose garThe Shortnose Gar is a primitive freshwater fish of the family Lepisosteidae.Shortnose gar have a prehistoric looking appearance. Like many other "lie-in-wait" predators, gars have an elongated, torpedo-like body with an elongated head containing one row of sharp, conical teeth...
Lepisosteus platostomus - Silver redhorseSilver redhorseThe Silver Redhorse, Moxostoma anisurum, is a species of freshwater fish endemic to Canada from Quebec to Alberta and in the United States in the Mississippi River, St. Lawrence River, Ohio River, and the Great Lakes basins...
Moxostoma anisurum - Smallmouth buffalo Ictiobus bubalusIctiobus bubalusThe common name of Ictiobus bubalus is the smallmouth buffalo. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- Spotted suckerSpotted suckerThe spotted sucker is a fish that is frequently encountered but rarely found in large numbers. The fish gets its name from 8–12 parallel rows of dark spots at the scale bases on the back and sides....
Minytrema melanops - White suckerWhite SuckerThe White Sucker is a bottom-feeding freshwater fish inhabiting North America from Labrador in the north to Georgia and New Mexico in the south. It is a long, round-bodied fish with a dark green, grey, copper, brown, or black back and sides and a light underbelly. When fullgrown, it is between 12...
Catostomus commersoni
Non-game fish
- AlewifeAlewifeThe alewife is a species of herring. There are anadromous and landlocked forms. The landlocked form is also called a sawbelly or mooneye...
Alosa pseudoharengus (prohibited invasive) - American brook lamprey Lampetra appendixLampetra appendixThe American brook lamprey , is non-parasitic, and their disc-like mouths contain poorly developed teeth, useless for attaching to a host.-Physical description:...
- Banded darterBanded DarterThe Banded Darter is a European species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae.-Description:Males of the Banded Darter, like most members of the genus, have a red abdomen. The species' primary distinguishing feature however is the presence, in both sexes, of broad black bands across the outer...
Etheostoma zonaleEtheostoma zonaleThe common name of Etheostoma zonale is the banded darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.... - Banded killifishBanded killifishThe banded killifish , is a North American species of temperate freshwater killifish belonging to the Fundulus genus of the Fundulidae family. The natural geographic range extends from Newfoundland to South Carolina, and west to Minnesota. It occupies the Great Lakes drainages...
Fundulus diaphanus - Bighead carpBighead carpThe bighead carp is a freshwater fish, one of several Asian carps. It has a large, scaleless head, a large mouth, and eyes located very low on the head. Adults usually have a mottled silver-gray coloration. Adults can be quite large...
Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (prohibited invasive) - Bigmouth shiner Notropis dorsalisNotropis dorsalisNotropis dorsalis, common name bigmouth shiner, is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- Blackchin shinerBlackchin ShinerBlackchin Shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis....
Notropis heterodon - Blacknose daceBlacknose daceBlacknose dace is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Rhinichthys....
Rhinichthys atratulus - Blacknose shinerBlacknose ShinerBlacknose Shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis....
Notropis heterolepis - Blackside darter Percina maculataPercina maculataThe common name of Percina maculata is the blackside darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- Bluntnose darter Etheostoma chlorosoma
- Bluntnose minnowBluntnose minnowThe bluntnose minnow, Pimephales notatus, is a species of temperate freshwater fish belonging to the Pimephales genus of the cyprinid family. The natural geographic range extends from the Great Lakes south along the Mississippi River basin to Louisiana, and east across the Midwestern United States...
Pimephales notatus - Brassy minnow Hybognathus hankinsoniHybognathus hankinsoniThe common name of Hybognathus hankinsoni is the brassy minnow. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- Brook silverside Labidesthes sicculusLabidesthes sicculusLabidesthes sicculus is commonly known as the brook silverside. Labidesthes sicculus belongs to the Actinopterygii class and to the Atherinopsidae family. L. sicculus lives in slow moving rivers and lakes from the Great Lakes to the Mississipi basin and Gulf Coastal plains. L. sicculus survives...
- Brook sticklebackBrook sticklebackThe Brook stickleback is a small freshwater fish that is distributed across the US and Canada. It grows to a length of about 2 inches. It occupies the northern part of the eastern United States, as well as the southern half of Canada...
Culaea inconstans - Bullhead minnow Pimephales vigilaxPimephales vigilaxPimephales vigilax, also known as the bullhead minnow, is a species of freshwater demersal fish. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.-External links:*...
- Central mudminnowCentral mudminnowThe central mudminnow is a small fish in the family Umbridae of the order Esociformes. It is found in central and eastern North America in productive waters...
Umbra limi - Central stoneroller Campostoma anomalumCampostoma anomalum-Introduction:This is a description of a monitoring plan that has been laid out for a commonly known species Campostoma anomalum or Central Stoneroller...
- Chestnut lampreyChestnut lampreyThe chestnut lamprey is a species of lamprey.-Abstract:The following is a management plan description for the Chestnut Lamprey . This lamprey is one of the North American native parasitic species of lamprey, and can be found in rivers along the eastern United States and Canada...
Ichthyomyzon castaneus - Common shinerCommon ShinerThe Common Shiner is a fish found in North America. They average in length between 2½ to 4 inches.-Description:The Common Shiner is silvery colored and has an "olive back with a dark dorsal stripe."...
Luxilus cornutus - Crystal darterCrystal darterThe crystal darter, Crystallaria asprella, is a small North American fish found in small, moderate, and swift rivers in the drainage basins of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. It is now extirpated from a majority of its range along the Ohio River...
Crystallaria asprella (special concern) - Deepwater sculpinDeepwater sculpinThe deepwater sculpin is a freshwater sculpin that inhabits the bottoms of cold, deep freshwater lakes of northern North America. Its distribution ranges from the Great Bear Lake of Canada to the Great Lakes...
Myoxocephalus thompsoni - Emerald shinerEmerald shinerThe Emerald Shiner is one of hundreds of small, silvery, slender fish known as shiners. The identifying characteristic of the emerald shiner is the silvery emerald color on its sides...
Notropis atherinoides - Fantail darterFantail darterThe Fantail darter is a species of fish in the Percidae family, widely distributed across streams in North America.-Distribution and habitat:...
Etheostoma flabellare - Fathead minnowFathead minnowThe fathead minnow , is a species of temperate freshwater fish belonging to the Pimephales genus of the cyprinid family. The natural geographic range extends throughout much of North America, from central Canada south along the Rockies to Texas, and east to Virginia and the Northeastern United...
Pimephales promelas - Finescale daceFinescale daceThe finescale dace, Phoxinus neogaeus, is a species of freshwater fish in the Cyprinidae family of order Cypriniformes. It is native to the northern portions of Minnesota.-Distribution:...
Phoxinus neogaeus - Flathead chub Platygobio gracilisPlatygobio gracilisPlatygobio gracilis, the Flathead chub, is a species of cyprinid fish that is found in Canada and the United States. It is the only member of its genus....
- Fourspine stickleback Apeltes quadracus
- Gilt darter Percina evidesPercina evidesThe common name of Percina evides is the gilt darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.-Introduction:This is a description of a monitoring plan for the Gilt darter , a native fish of Tennessee. The Gilt darter is one of 47 species of fish in the family Percina...
(special concern) - Golden shinerGolden shinerThe golden shiner is a cyprinid fish native to eastern North America. It is the sole member of its genus. Much used as a bait fish, it is probably the most widely pond-cultured fish in the United States.-Description:...
Notemigonus crysoleucas - Gravel chub Erimystax x-punctatus (special concern)
- Hornyhead chubHornyhead chubThe hornyhead chub, Nocomis biguttatus, is a small species of minnow . It mainly inhabits small rivers and streams. The range of this fish is the northern central USA, up into Canada. The adults inhabit faster, rocky pools of rivers....
Nocomis biguttatus - Iowa darter Etheostoma exileEtheostoma exileThe Iowa Darter is a species of freshwater fish in the perch family of order Perciformes. The Iowa darter, along with about seventeen other species of darters, is native to the lakes and streams of Iowa....
- Lake chubLake chubThe Lake Chub, Couesius plumbeus, is a freshwater cyprinid fish found in Canada and in parts of the United States. Of all North American minnows, it is the one with the northernmost distribution. Its genus, Couesius The Lake Chub, Couesius plumbeus, is a freshwater cyprinid fish found in Canada and...
Couesius plumbeus - Largescale stoneroller Campostoma oligolepisCampostoma oligolepisCampostoma oligolepis, commonly known as the largescale stoneroller, is a fish in the Cyprinidae family. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.Introduction...
- Johnny darterJohnny darterThe Johnny Darter, Etheostoma nigrum, is a species of ray-finned fish that are found in shallow water throughout eastern North America. It's name comes from the Greek and Latin root words of etheo meaning to filter, stoma meaning mouth, nigrum meaning black in Latin...
Etheostoma nigrum - Least darter Etheostoma micropercaEtheostoma micropercaThe common name of Etheostoma microperca is the least darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
(special concern) - LogperchLogperchlogperches are a group of fish in the genus Percina of the family Percidae. There are 11 species of logperch, native to eastern parts of the US and Canada. The fish inhabit clear, gravelly streams and lakes, reaching a maximum size of about 18 cm and a maximum age of about 3 years...
Percina caprodesPercina caprodesPercina caprodes, the logperch or common logperch, is a fish species of the family Percidae. Like other logperches, it has the typical vertical barring along the flank and a subterminal mouth.... - Longnose daceLongnose daceThe longnose dace is found in muddy and warm, clear and cold, streams and lakes. The largest longnose dace are about 6 inches long. They are well-adapted for living on the bottom of fast-flowing streams among the stones. Longnose dace eat mostly immature aquatic insects. They are important...
Rhinichthys cataractae - Mimic shinerMimic ShinerMimic Shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis.- References :* Robert Jay Goldstein, Rodney W. Harper, Richard Edwards: American Aquarium Fishes. Texas A&M University Press 2000, ISBN 9780890968802, p. 98...
Notropis volucellus - Mississippi silvery minnow Hybognathus nuchalisHybognathus nuchalisThe common name of Hybognathus nuchalis is the Mississippi silvery minnow minnow. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- Mottled sculpinMottled sculpinThe mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdii, is a freshwater sculpin found widely although unevenly throughout North America.As the name suggests, its coloration is a combination of bars, spots, and speckles randomly distributed. The large pectoral fins are banded...
Cottus bairdi sometimes called "Muddler MinnowMuddler MinnowThe Muddler Minnow is a popular and versatile artificial fly of the streamer type used in fly fishing and fly tying.-History:The Muddler Minnow was spawned, so to speak, by Don Gapen of Anoka, Minnesota in 1937, to imitate the slimy sculpin. Gapen developed this fly to catch Nipigon strain brook...
" - Mud darter Etheostoma asprigeneEtheostoma asprigeneThe common name of Etheostoma asprigene is the mud darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- Ninespine sticklebackNinespine sticklebackThe ninespine stickleback , also called the ten-spined stickleback, is a freshwater species of fish in the Gasterosteidae family that inhabits temperate waters...
Pungitius pungitius - Northern brook lampreyNorthern Brook LampreyThe Northern Brook Lamprey, Ichthyomyzon fossor, is a lamprey found in North America throughout the Great Lakes Watershed. There are limited populations within the Mississippi watershed....
Ichthyomyzon fossor (special concern) - Northern redbelly daceNorthern redbelly daceThe northern redbelly dace, Chrosomus eos, is a freshwater cyprinid fish, generally found in lakes and small streams in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. It is one of fouty-four species from the minnow and carp family of Cyprinidae in these areas...
Phoxinus eos - Orangespotted sunfishOrangespotted sunfishThe orangespotted sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes.The orangespotted sunfish reaches a maximum recorded length of about 15 cm....
Lepomis humilis - Ozark minnowOzark MinnowOzark Minnow is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis.- References :* Robert Jay Goldstein, Rodney W. Harper, Richard Edwards: American Aquarium Fishes. Texas A&M University Press 2000, ISBN 9780890968802, p. 91...
Notropis nubilus (special concern) - Pallid shiner Hybopsis amnisHybopsis amnisThe common name of Hybopsis amnis is the pallid shiner. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
(special concern) - Pearl dace Margariscus margaritaMargariscus margaritaMargariscus margarita, the Pearl dace, is a species of cyprinid fish. It is demersal, freshwater fish, with a dark green back and silvery body. This species is omnivorous, consuming algae as well as arthropods. M. margaritas range spans southern Canada and the northern United States...
- Pirate perchPirate perchThe pirate perch, Aphredoderus sayanus, is a freshwater fish of the Percopsiformes order. This small fish is native to the eastern half of North America. It is dark brown, sometimes with a darker band near the base tail. A unique feature of this fish is the forward placement of its cloaca, under...
Aphredoderus sayanus (special concern) - Plains topminnow Fundulus sciadicus (special concern)
- Pugnose minnow Opsopoeodus emiliaeOpsopoeodus emiliaeOpsopoeodus emiliae is a species of cyprinid fish found in the eastern North America. There are two recognized subspecies with the subspecies from Florida recognized as race peninsularis.- Subspecies :...
(special concern) - Pugnose shinerPugnose ShinerPugnose Shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis....
Notropis anogenus - Rainbow darterRainbow darterThe rainbow darter is a native North American fish that can be found in small fast moving streams and small to medium-sized rivers...
Etheostoma caeruleum - Red shinerRed ShinerThe Red Shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family. They are deep-bodied and laterally compressed and can grow to about three inches in length. For most of the year both males and females have silver sides and whitish abdomens...
Cyprinella lutrensis - Redfin shiner Lythrurus umbratilisLythrurus umbratilisThe common name of Lythrurus umbratilis is the Redfin shiner. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- Redside daceRedside daceThe redside dace is a species of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family, found in the United States and Canada. It is unique among minnows, being the only species to routinely feed on flying insects by leaping from water. Thus, it acts as a conduit for energy transfers between terrestrial and...
Clinostomus elongatus - River darter Percina shumardiPercina shumardiThe common name of Percina shumardi is the river darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- River shinerRiver ShinerRiver Shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis....
Notropis blennius - Rosyface shinerRosyface shinerThe Rosyface Shiner is a small North American fish found throughout the central and eastern United States and southern Canada in clear pools and riffles in large creeks and small rivers. It can grow to 3.5 inches in length. It is olive-colored to bluish with an orange lateral stripe, and...
Notropis rubellus - Round gobyRound gobyThe round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, is an euryhaline bottom-dwelling goby of the family Gobiidae, native to central Eurasia including the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.-Characteristics:...
Neogobius melanostomus (prohibited invasive) - RuffeRuffeThe Eurasian Ruffe or simply Ruffe is a freshwater fish found in temperate regions of Europe and northern Asia. It has been introduced into the Great Lakes of North America, reportedly with unfortunate results...
Gymnocephalus cernuus (prohibited invasive) - Sand shinerSand ShinerThe Sand Shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family of order Cypriniformes. The specific epithet Notropis means keeled back and stramineus means of straw, making reference to the fishes overall pale amber body color. N. ludibundus is a senior synonym of N. stramineus, however,...
Notropis stramineus - Sea lampreySea lampreyThe sea lamprey is a parasitic lamprey found on the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America, in the western Mediterranean Sea, and in the Great Lakes. It is brown, gray, or black on its back and white or gray on the underside and can grow up to 90 cm long. Sea lampreys prey on a wide...
Petromyzon marinus (prohibited invasive) - Silver chub Macrhybopsis storerianaMacrhybopsis storerianaThe common name of Macrhybopsis storeriana is the silver chub. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
or Hybopsis storeriana - Silver lampreySilver lampreyThe silver lamprey, or Ichthyomyzon unicuspis, is a lamprey found commonly in the Northern and Central United States and a large part of southern Canada. Its binomial name means "fish to suck" in Greek and "one point" in Latin. The silver lamprey is a member of the Class Agnatha, sometimes...
Ichthyomyzon unicuspis - Skipjack herring Alosa chrysochloris (special concern)
- Slender madtom Noturus exilisNoturus exilisNoturus exilis, also called the slender madtom is a species of the Ictaluridae family of catfish. The Ictaluridae family includes bullheads, madtoms, channel catfish, and blue catfish. Noturus exilis is found in the central portion of the Mississippi River basin, but is most abundant in Ozarkian...
(special concern) - Slenderhead darter Percina phoxocephalaPercina phoxocephalaThe common name of Percina phoxocephala is the slenderhead darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- Slimy sculpinSlimy SculpinThe slimy sculpin, Cottus cognatus, is a freshwater species of fish that inhabits cool, rocky streams, rivers and lakes throughout northern North America and eastern Siberia. The slimy sculpin is found in freshwater and sometimes brackish water in areas with rocky or gravel type bottoms...
Cottus cognatus - Southern brook lamprey Ichthyomyzon gageiIchthyomyzon gageiThe Southern Brook Lamprey is a lamprey found in the southern United States including Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.-References:...
(special concern) - Southern redbelly daceSouthern redbelly daceThe Southern redbelly dace , is a North American species of temperate freshwater fish of the Cyprinidae family. The natural geographic range extends from Western New York to Minnesota, and south to Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Alabama...
Phoxinus erythrogaster - Speckled chubSpeckled ChubThe speckled chub, Macrhybopsis aestivalis, is a species of freshwater fish in the Cyprinidae family of the order Cypriniformes, which also includes carps, suckers, and loaches.-Geographic distribution:...
Macrhybopsis aestivalis or Hybopsis aestivalis - Spoonhead sculpinSpoonhead SculpinThe spoonhead sculpin, Cottus ricei, is a freshwater fish of the Cottidae family that is widely distributed in North America. It is a type of sculpin....
Cottus ricei - Spotfin shiner Cyprinella spilopteraCyprinella spilopteraThe Spotfin Shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family.It is found only in the eastern United States and eastern Canada.-References:*, Fishbase*, NatureServe*, image...
- Spottail shinerSpottail ShinerSpottail Shiner or is a small to medium sized freshwater minnow. Spottail Shiners are members of the phylum Chordata and class Actinopterygii, which are the ray-finned and spiny ray fish. It is a member of the order Cypriniformes and family Cryprinidae, which consist of the carps and minnows...
Notropis hudsonius - Starhead topminnow Fundulus disparFundulus disparThe common name of Fundulus dispar is the starhead topminnow. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- Stonecat Noturus flavusNoturus flavusNoturus flavus -Description:Stonecats are small, slender, flat-headed catfishes, with the adipose fin keellike and continuous with the dorsal fin except for a shallow notch. The upper jaw projects beyond the lower jaw and the tooth pad on the upper jaw has a narrow, crescent-shaped extension on...
- Suckermouth minnow Phenacobius mirabilisPhenacobius mirabilisThe common name of Phenacobius mirabilis is the suckermouth minnow. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- Tadpole madtomTadpole madtomThe Tadpole madtom is a species of fish in the Ictaluridae family . It is endemic to Canada and the United States.- Physical description :...
Noturus gyrinus - Threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus
- Topeka shinerTopeka ShinerTopeka Shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis.The Topeka Shiner is a type of minnow that does not grow longer than a few inches. This minnow is a shiny silver color its main physical characteristic is the black colored stripe that runs along the side of the body.The Topeka...
Notropis topeka (special concern) - Trout-perch Percopsis omiscomaycus
- Western tubenose gobyWestern tubenose gobyThe western tubenose goby, or freshwater tubenose goby, is a limnetic fish species in the Gobiidae family. During the long period this fish was considered as a junior synonym of the tubenose goby, P. marmoratus...
Proterorhinus semilunaris - Weed shinerWeed ShinerWeed Shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis.- References :* Robert Jay Goldstein, Rodney W. Harper, Richard Edwards: American Aquarium Fishes. Texas A&M University Press 2000, ISBN 9780890968802, p. 96...
Notropis texanus - Western sand darter Ammocrypta claraAmmocrypta claraThe common name of Ammocrypta clara is the western sand darter. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
Invasive species not currently in Minnesota
According to the DNR, these prohibited or regulated invasive fish species threaten Minnesota natural resources but are not currently known to be in Minnesota public waters.- Black carpBlack carpThe black carp is a species of cyprinid fish indigenous to China, and widely cultivated for food and Chinese medicine. It is the sole species of the genus Mylopharyngodon. The black carp grows to a length of up to three feet , and over 70 pounds , generally feeding on snails and mussels...
Mylopharyngodon piceus (prohibited invasive) - Grass carpGrass carpThe grass carp is a herbivorous, freshwater fish species of family Cyprinidae, and the only species of the genus Ctenopharyngodon. It is cultivated in China for food, but was introduced in Europe and the United States for aquatic weed control...
Ctenopharyngodon idella (prohibited invasive) - RuddRuddThe common rudd Scardinius erythropthalmus is a bentho-pelagic freshwater fish, widely spread in Europe and middle Asia, around the basins of the North, Baltic, Black, Caspian and Aral seas.-Artificially introduced:...
Scardinius erythrophthalmus (prohibited invasive) - Silver carpSilver carpThe silver carp is a species of freshwater cyprinid fish, a variety of Asian carp native to north and northeast Asia. It is cultivated in China....
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (prohibited invasive) - TilapiaTilapiaTilapia , is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapia inhabit a variety of fresh water habitats, including shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes. Historically, they have been of major importance in artisan fishing in Africa and the...
OreochromisOreochromisOreochromis is a large genus of tilapiine cichlids, fishes endemic to Africa and the Middle East. Several species from this genus have been introduced far outside their native range, and are important in aquaculture...
, SarotherodonSarotherodonSarotherodon is a genus of tilapiine cichlids, fishes endemic to Africa and the Middle East. A few species from this genus have been introduced far outside their native range, and are important in aquaculture. They mainly inhabit fresh and brackish water, but a few can live in salt water...
, and TilapiaTilapia (genus)Tilapia is a large genus of cichlid fishes endemic to Africa, except for a single species that also occurs in the Middle East. The vast majority of the species are from tropical Western and Middle Africa, but there are also a few species in Northern, Eastern and Southern Africa...
spp. (regulated invasive) - ZanderZanderZander is a species of fish. The scientific name is Sander lucioperca , and it is closely allied to perch. Zander are often called pike-perch as they resemble the pike with their elongated body and head, and the perch with their spiny dorsal fin. Zander are not, as is commonly believed, a pike and...
Stizostedion lucioperca (prohibited invasive)