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Cant Identify this darter...help please

Started by Guest_tonyball_* , Jul 18 2011 07:51 PM

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12 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_tonyball_*

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 07:51 PM

this is a darter from a local creek and I have tried in vain for several days to try and identify this guy but am not coming up with any good leads. they have red in their fins and the lower portion of their bellies are orange in color.the pic is from my cheap cell phone so it is not the best quality any help is appreciated!

Edited by tonyball, 18 July 2011 - 07:52 PM.

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#2 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 08:04 PM

Was it from the Holston watershed? With that much red this time of year, I'm going to guess that it was and it's E. simoterum.

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#3 Guest_Casper_*

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 08:09 PM

Looks like a Tennessee Snubnose Darter.
One of our most common darters. Habitat is flowing pools, generally, in the late winter the males get very colorful. Easy to care for in aquariums. Feed it frozen bloodworms.
A similiar darter is the Black Snubnose but hard to tell apart. Pick up the new Petersons Field Guide and that will help you a lot. There is a master book, The Fishes of Tennessee by Etnier & Starnes but hard to come by now. Petersons is the best all around "First" book for native fish folk.
BTW... i got your request today for a packet of NANFA decals. I ran out of them at the Virginia convention so it will be awhile before i print some more, a couple weeks i would guess.

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#4 Guest_tonyball_*

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 08:09 PM

Was it from the Holston watershed? With that much red this time of year, I'm going to guess that it was and it's E. simoterum.

I actually caught several of these from a creek in the area (Fall Creek)but it eventually dumps into the Holston

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#5 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 08:21 PM

If you find one Tenn Snub you'll find a bunch. They're probably the most abundant darter in that creek.

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#6 Guest_tonyball_*

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 08:22 PM

Looks like a Tennessee Snubnose Darter.
One of our most common darters. Habitat is flowing pools, generally, in the late winter the males get very colorful. Easy to care for in aquariums. Feed it frozen bloodworms.
A similiar darter is the Black Snubnose but hard to tell apart. Pick up the new Petersons Field Guide and that will help you a lot. There is a master book, The Fishes of Tennessee by Etnier & Starnes but hard to come by now. Petersons is the best all around "First" book for native fish folk.
BTW... i got your request today for a packet of NANFA decals. I ran out of them at the Virginia convention so it will be awhile before i print some more, a couple weeks i would guess.

now with an idea of what it might be I started looking around and it appears you are correct in saying a Tennessee Snubnose Darter.I actually found a link back to this forum showing better pictures than those I had taken and they look identical to those in every way. Thanks for you guys help!there are hundreds of these darters in the particular creek that I found them in.also it is no problem about the decals just whenever you have some handy will be fine.thanks again

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#7 Guest_countrybumpkin_*

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 08:38 PM

It was my understanding you can't collect in Tennessee??

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#8 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 08:50 PM

Yes, you're right... I was so wrapped up in the fish I forgot. So Tony, you should be aware that Tennessee has recently changed its laws to make collecting fish illegal. Crazy, but true.

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#9 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 19 July 2011 - 09:28 AM

It was my understanding you can't collect in Tennessee??

I think you can collect, but you can't take the fish away from the stream bank. Based on your location, invest in a yearly VA fishing license. You're only a few minutes from VA, and you can collect and keep there. You'll find the same fish across the border as you will in Kingsport.

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#10 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 19 July 2011 - 10:48 AM

I think you can collect, but you can't take the fish away from the stream bank.

I would call that sampling. :biggrin:

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#11 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 19 July 2011 - 11:30 AM

I actually checked on this recently as I was in TN this past weekend fly fishing the South Holston.

There are a (very) few fish that you are permitted to possess away from the stream. See pages 32 and 33 of the TN regulations here: http://www.tn.gov/tw...s/fishguide.pdf You could keep these without trouble.

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#12 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 19 July 2011 - 03:02 PM

I would call that sampling.

I'll not say what I call it.....

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#13 Guest_tonyball_*

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Posted 19 July 2011 - 04:56 PM

well looks like pretty much all species of darter are off limits to collecting in my home state based on the info provided in this thread and the links, but luckily I do have a virginia license and license for the national forests in virginia as well so if it is correct that I can collect there I very well may be spending a little more time in virginia. let me say thanks to everyone for your valuable information on this subject and for your help in identifying the darter