13 replies to this topic

[mattknepley]

Made two trips to the Stevens Creek drainage subbasin in SC over the past three days. Water temps were 44-46*F; the first day I was just in shorts, so only spent a half an hour or so in the water. Yesterday I deigned to put on neoprene and spent about 3.5 hours in stream. Gotta love neoprene. Managed to put my knee through my glass photo tank last week (at work, no less; don't ask) so I am back to using plastic "critter keeper" for a photo tank...

These are all from either Reedy Creek in Greenwood County, SC; or Beaverdam Creek just a few yards above where it empties into Cuffytown Creek in Greenwood County.


Defaulting to Lepomis auritus for this, as it was taken in an SC stream. Can anybody yea or nay that for me?
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This creek chub and yellowfin shiner tried to fool me, but the red spots on the dorsal and anal gave Mr. Chub away.
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The red on the caudal, anal, and dorsal fins, plus the SC stream location have me also calling this a Lepomis auritus, but it doesn't look much like that first one.
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The first three pictures were from Reedy Creek. The following are from Beaverdam. (Note; every county in this fair state has a "Beaverdam Creek".) This is the one in Greenwood County that empties into Cuffytown Creek.

I tried in the worst way to make these jokers sandbar shiners (Notropis scepticus), but they're golden shiners (Notemigonus chrysoleucas), aren't they?
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How about these little cuties? I'm calling 'em Erimyzon oblongus because they would be much more likely than Erimyzon sucetta in this locale. But they just don't look like the juvie oblongus I've seen before. Can't get a scale count, maybe somebody with more experience can.
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Lastly, anybody see anything here that has them thinking something other than Christmas darter, gambusia, golden shiner, yellowfin shiner or creek chubsucker? Yes, I know the photos are awful, I'm not expecting positive ids. I'm just wondering if there's anything I might want to keep in mind next time I get out that way.
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Thanks, all!

[gerald]

1st Lepomis -- maybe auritus, but to me it look more like bluegill or p-seed.
2nd Lepomis -- plaid body and orange/white fin edges -- I'd say green sunnie
Golden shiners -- i agree.
Erimyzon -- can't be 100% sure without scale count, but they look like creek chubsucker to me, and creeks are WAY more widespread in upstate SC than lake chubsucker.

[Josh Blaylock]

I wanna Chubsucker

[mattknepley]

Thanks, Gerald. I appreciate the help!

Josh, pm-ed ya.

Creek chubsuckers are neat fish. Mine made for a great aquarium fish, too, as long as it wasn't kept with competitive species that were similar to it in size and shape . My chubsucker did really well mixed with darters and Cyprinellas, but once I added a pair of bluehead chubs they totally outcompeted and intimidated the poor guy.

[Michael Wolfe]

Leptocephalus power!

[mattknepley]

Leptocephalus power!

Ya don't wanna mess with the blueheads, alright!

[Michael Wolfe]

Not a hungry one that's for sure. They are safe with tank mates but they do plow right through a school of anybody else to get to that fish food.

[smbass]

I would agree with Geralds assessment of the sunfish, neither looks like auritus. First looks like bluegill, maybe p-seed, or maybe redear. Second I would agree is a green. Chubsuckers... creek as more sub-terminal mouth compared to lake which is nearly terminal. Tough to tell in the photos but look like creeks to me. Are those just Creek Chub or are you in the range of that smaller eastern Semotolis?

[Michael Wolfe]

No I think Matt is way to far south for that thing... I think you mean the Santee Chub right? I thought they were up near the North Carolina line.

[mattknepley]

I would agree with Geralds assessment of the sunfish, neither looks like auritus. First looks like bluegill, maybe p-seed, or maybe redear. Second I would agree is a green. Chubsuckers... creek as more sub-terminal mouth compared to lake which is nearly terminal. Tough to tell in the photos but look like creeks to me. Are those just Creek Chub or are you in the range of that smaller eastern Semotolis?

If you meant S. lumbee, sandhills chub, then Michael is correct; that stream is not in range for them. They are ENE of me a good ways. I hope to see some, some day. Actually was right in range for 'em once, but Dustin wouldn't stop the car...

[smbass]

Yes Sandhills Chub is what I was referring to I just couldn't think of it at that moment.

[Michael Wolfe]

Obviously I could not get it right either. Thanks for the save Matt!

[Dustin]

Sorry. I'm sure I was late getting home as usual. Late to the party but would agree with Gerald and Brian's ID's.

[mattknepley]

That's alright, Dustin. Just trying to get a rise out of ya, haven't heard much from Lexington lately...