Muskellunge ( Esox masquinongy)

1. Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) Identification:olive to dark gray above, sides lighter with dark spots or bars; upper 1/2 of cheeks and opercle lightly scaled, lower 1/2 of both scale less; six to eight pores on each side of the lower jaw. Distribution: Brushy Creek, Hawthorn Lake, Pleasant Creek, Big Creek, Three Mile, Clear Lake, West Okoboji, and Big Spirit. Also in East Okoboji, Upper Gar, Lower Gar, and Lake Minnewashta.

2. Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) Reproduction: up to 265,000 eggs deposited over dead vegetation in early spring; negligible in Iowa Habitat: Lakes and reservoirs: prefers cool water with lots of vegetation. Diet: Fish Joe Foy

3. Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) Conservation Status: rare; stocked since 1996 Economic/recreation:trophy fish; Spirit Lake hatchery stocks 9-10 in fish Ecological Importance: large predator, top of the food chain Other: “Fish of 10,000 casts”

4. References Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 1994. Iowa DNR Fish and Fishing Available at http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/iafish.html. August 2004

5. Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)Kelly Andersen Genus Pimephales: bluntnose minnow, bullhead minnow, slim minnow, and fathead minnow. Characteristics: much smaller scales on nape than everywhere else on body, 1 rudimentary dorsal ray Identification: terminal mouth, no spines, no barbels, incomplete lateral line, dorsal fin origin over pelvic fin origin, peritoneum gray or black. Iowa DNR Color: Dark olive on back and sides, yellow to white belly, dusky or diffused lateral band, dusky to black blotch or bar midway up on the dorsal fin. Breeding male: Dark with white or gold vertical bars, large gray fleshy pad on nape, tubercles in rows on snout.

6. Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) Distribution: Native to Northwestern Canada (just east of the Rockies) to Maine and south to the gulf states. Sub-species in New Mexico. Generally absent in mountain areas, they have been introduce all over. Iowa DNR Are considered most abundant and widespread fish in Iowa by DNR.

7. Fathead Minnow (Pimephales pormelas) Habitat: Muddy pools of creeks and steams as well as ponds. Tolerant of turbid, hot, and poorly oxygenated water not tolerated by most fish. Diet: Microscopic plants, small insects, insect larvae, and small crustaceans. Konrad Schmidt Reproduction: Spawn from early May to August. Eggs are laid on the under surface of floating object and guarded by male. Hatch in 5-6 days.

8. Fathead Minnow (Pimephales pormelas) Conservation Status: N/A Considered common over much of their range. Economic/Recreational importance: Most common bait fish sold in Iowa. Ecological importance: Important forage fish, very tolerant. Other: Special Strain developed for the pet trade called “Rosy-red” Minnow. Red-orange body and fins. William Roston www.fishpondinfo.com/rosies.htm

9. References: Pimephales pormelas Eddy, S. and J.C. Underhill. 1978 How to Know the Freshwater Fishes. 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill, Boston. Page, L. M. and B. M. Burr. 1991. Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. Iowa Department of Natural Resources.1994.IowaDNR Fish and Fishing. Available at http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/minnowf.html October 2004

10. The Emerald ShinerNotropis atherinoides By David Jaeggi

11. Emerald Shiner • Physical Characteristics of the Emerald Shiner • Small laterally compressed (2-3.5in) • Their mouth is large, terminal, oblique, and has no barbel. • Silver back with blue to green sides

12. Distribution • Mostly found in Mississippi and Missouri Rivers; also found in large interior rivers in Iowa • The Shiner is also found in other areas in the United States not only in Iowa

13. Habitat • The Shiner lives mid-depth to surface waters of the main channel and chutes in large streams often in schools. Young fish feed exclusively on algae. Adults forage on terrestrial and aquatic insects at the surface.

14. Diet and Reproduction • Young fish feed exclusively on algae. • Adults forage on terrestrial and aquatic insects at the surface. • Maturing in about 2 years, spawning occurs late May to early August in water 20-23°C · Fecundity is 888-5,443 eggs per female

15. Status and Importance • The Emerald Shiner is not under any protection in Iowa • Commercial Fisherman do not have any sort of real need for them due mostly to their size • They are used as a bait fish for yellow perch, white perch, white bass and freshwater drum

16. In Summary • The Emerald Shiner is abundant in many areas mostly the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers in Iowa • With capabilities of producing a lot of young, they can be abundant in some years. • Eating mostly small organisms and algae they are a staple for many fish.

17. References • Ohio Department of Natural Resources <http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/aquanotes-fishid/eshiner.htm> 2004 ODNR Division of Wildlife • Virginia Fish and Wildlife Information Service <http://www.cnr.vt.edu/efish/families/emerald.html> October 15 2004 • Iowa DNR Fish and Fishing <http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/ems-card.html> 2004 Iowa Department of Natural Resources • Canadian Biodiversity <http://www.canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca/english/species/fish/fishpages/not_ath.htm • Earl J.S. Rook, The Natural History of the Northwoods. <http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/fish/notropisath.html> 1999.

18. Sand Shiner (Notropis ludibundus)Dan Rosauer Identification Small slender minnow Large eye for fish size “mouse tracks” along lateral line 7-8 anal rays http://www.biology.ucok.edu/SelmanLL/SelmanFishPage/images/traders2/sandshiner.jpg • Habitat • Most common in small streams with a sandy bottom. • Sometimes found in sandy areas of lakes. • Common throughout Iowa

19. Sand Shiner (Notropis ludibundus) Diet Small immature aquatic insects, bottom ooze, small amount of adult insects and plant material. http://fish.dnr.cornell.edu/nyfish/Cyprinidae/STRAWCOLMINN3.jpg Reproduction Spawns throughout the summer April-August. Females lay several hundred to several thousand eggs in depressions in riffles.

20. Sand Shiner (Notropis ludibundus) Recreational Value Rarely caught on hook and line. Commonly used on hook and line to catch other fish species. Ecological Importance Common prey species for most predators in at least some stage of their life. http://members.aol.com/r3nalms/fishing.jpg

21. References Notropis ludibundus Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 1991. Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. Pflieger, W. 1997. The Fishes of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, MO.

22. QuillbackCarpiodes cyprinuswhite carp, silver carp, plains carpsucker, lake quillback, coldwater carp, quillback sucker, mullet, long-finned sucker Jessa Franck

23. Identification Iowa DNR • brown back with silvery reflections • sides tinged golden yellow with dark edged scales • belly white • scales large • adults are commonly l2 to l7 inches long and weigh from l to 3 pounds • the first ray of the dorsal fin is very long, forming an elevated filament • distinguished from other carpsuckers by lack of a nipple-like projection on bottom lip • the mouth is situated on the underside of the head and the snout extends forward beyond the jaws

24. clearer streams small streams occasionally prefer moderately clear, highly productive streams that contain large, deep pools adjacent to stable gravel or rubble bottoms less tolerant of turbidity than the other carpsuckers adapts readily to other habitats and often inhabit slow flowing streams, natural lakes range extends from the Great Border Rivers into the large interior rivers Distribution & Habitat

25. bottom ooze plant materials aquatic insect larvae filamentous algae, single-celled algae, protozoans small crustaceans spawn in early spring water temperature of 55 to 70 degrees F females may produce from 15,000 to 360,000 eggs apiece eggs are spread over large area and left unattended Diet & Reproduction Great Lakes Enviro. Research Lab

26. abundant in larger streams in Iowa not important to anglers, usually only caught in early springtime flesh is bony not commercially important important food fish when young to other game fish Importance & Conservation Status Deep-Fried Quillback Strips of meat from 3 or 4 quillbacks Salt, fresh-ground black pepper 1 cup flour 1 cup Bisquick baking mix 1 cup cornmeal 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder Peanut oil for deep frying Season the fish strips with salt and pepper. Combine flour, Bisquick, cornmeal, and seasonings. Dredge the strips in this mixture and fry quickly in peanut oil heated to 375 degrees. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

27. long lifespan, averaging 11 years hybridize with highfin and river carpsuckers Other River carpsucker X quillback; the hybrid has the quillback body form, but the river carpsucker mouth.

28. References • Fish Identification Database. Identify your fish. http://144.92.62.204/wiscfish/fishid/wFrmFishDetails.aspx?fid=107&co mName=Quillback&sfName=Carpiodes%C2%A0cyprinus&fam=sucke rs&GID=138. October 2004. • Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Suckers. http://floridafisheries.com/Fishes/suckers.html. October 2004. • Mayhew, J. 1987. Iowa Fish and Fishing. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa, pp 323. • Ohio Department of Natural Resources. 2004. Life History Notes: Quillback. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/aquanotes- fishid/quilback.htm. October 2004.

29. Highfin Carpsucker(Carpiodes Velifer) Jay T. Hatch By Josh Otten

30. Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) Identification: • resembles common carp • lack barbels • lack dorsal and anal fin spines • first ray or dorsal fin long • small knob-like structure at middle of lower lip • deep bodied/compressed • max of 12-20 inches/ 1-3 pounds • back is brown-olive, the sides are silvery, the belly is whitish and the fins nearly colorless www.bowfishiowa.com

31. Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) Distribution: • found primarily in the large interior rivers, oxbows, and ponds over sand or gravel bottom • prefer moderate to swift current or in quiet water adjacent to river channels • prefer clean waters and firm bottoms, intolerant of turbidity and siltation • may migrate to shallow areas and to overflow pond of streams to spawn

32. Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) Distribution www.roughfish.com

33. Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) Diet: • Herbivore/Invertivore • primarily eats algae and insects from the bottom Reproduction: • Breeding schools migrate to shallows and overflow ponds to spawn • spawns in late spring (water temp. 55-77) • sexually mature in third year • 40 to 60 thousand eggs per female, spread over clean gravel substrate

34. Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes Velifer) Conservation: • none Economic Importance • harvested as commercial fish/good to eat Ecological Importance • small individuals provide food for game fish www.natureserve.org

35. Refrences Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American Freshwater Fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History. 867 pp. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp. Robins, C. R., et al. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publishing 20. 183 pp. Smith, G. R. 1992. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Catostomidae, freshwater fishes of North America and Asia. Pages 778-826 in Mayden, R. L., editor. Systematics, historical ecology, and North American freshwater fishes. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, California. 969 pp. Vanicek, C. D. 1961. Life history of the quillback and highfin carpsuckers in the Des Moines River. Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci. 68: 238-246.

36. Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma Macrolepidotum)Dan Rosauer Distribution: Throughout Iowa; most common in north and east. Habitat: Rocky pools, runs and riffles in small to large streams; commonly found in relatively fast water.

37. Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma Macrolepidotum • Identification • Bright red tail • Sucker mouth • Uniform scales along body • Relatively small head • 42-44 Lateral Line Scales • 12-13 Caudal Peduncle Scales Other common Species Red Tailed Species • Greater Redhorse • River Redhorse Black Tailed Species • Golden Redhose • Black Redhorse • Silver Redhorse

38. Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma Macrolepidotum) Joe Foy http://wdafs.org/images/RedhorseSucker_Shorthead_sm.jpg JoeFoy Joe Foy

39. Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma Macrolepidotum) • Recreational • Ocassionally cought on hook and line. • More common to snag or spear. • Ecological Importance • Small shorthead prey for large preditor species • Can affect aquatic insect population Food • Mainly aquatic insects e.g. midges, mayflies and caddisflys Reproduction • Spawn over gravel depressions in spring. • 2 males per female • 18” female can produce 20,000 eggs

40. References:Moxostoma Macrolepidotum Iowa Department of Natural Resources/ 1994. IowaDNR Fish and Fishing. Available at http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/shr-card.html. October 2004. Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 1991. Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. Pflieger, W. 1997. The Fishes of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, MO.