Javascript Disabled Detected

You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality.

Northern dace ID help needed

Started by Guest_BenCantrell_* , Sep 02 2014 09:53 AM

Please log in to reply

6 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_BenCantrell_*

Guests

Posted 02 September 2014 - 09:53 AM

I caught some dace in an old sandstone quarry pond adjacent to the Amnicon River in northern Wisconsin over the weekend that are puzzling me. Some friends of mine gave me the spot and told me that pearl dace are the only species in the pond. Here are their photos from a few years ago.

Posted Image

Their fish look like pearl dace to me. I caught over a dozen dace in the same pond, but mine don't look like pearl dace. The scales are not clearly visible, which is more characteristic of northern redbelly dace and finescale dace. NRBD should have two distinct dark stripes, but on mine I only see one (sometimes a faint hint of a second one). Is that enough to narrow it down further to finescale dace? I have limited experience with these species, so I would appreciate some help. Thanks! Each of the photos below is of a different fish.

Posted Image

Back to top

#2 Guest_blakemarkwell_*

Guests

Posted 02 September 2014 - 11:12 AM

Their fish look like Pearl Dace and Creek Chub. Your fish look mostly like Finescale Dace (Chrosomus neogaeus), however, the second one from the bottom looks like Northern Redbelly Dace (Chrosomus eos). Then again, I'd wait for someone familiar with that area and those fish to chime in!

Back to top

#3 Guest_BenCantrell_*

Guests

Posted 02 September 2014 - 11:19 AM

Finescale dace and northern redbelly dace hybridize as well. :angry:

http://www.seagrant....d=605&FishID=51

Back to top

#4 Guest_blakemarkwell_*

Guests

Posted 02 September 2014 - 11:26 AM

Yes, I've talked about that before.

http://forum.nanfa.o...esis#entry96477

Back to top

#5 mattknepley

NANFA Member

Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 02 September 2014 - 12:10 PM

Some real nice color in several of those fish. Looks like there are avian fans in the area, too.

Black speck still throws me for a loop when I first see it.

Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

Back to top

#6 Guest_Skipjack_*

Guests

Posted 02 September 2014 - 01:17 PM

Some real nice color in several of those fish. Looks like there are avian fans in the area, too. Black speck still throws me for a loop when I first see it.

Duh! They are the dreaded Black Pearl dace.

Back to top

#7 Guest_BenCantrell_*

Guests

Posted 04 September 2014 - 06:36 AM

My trusty Peterson guides says finescale X northern redbelly hybrids are always female. If only males have the red stripe, then can I safely say all my colored up ones were pure finescales? Blake, I agree that the second to last one looks the most like a redbelly dace. It has the sharper mouth angle and faint second stripe.