16 replies to this topic

[Chasmodes]

I had a list of things that I wanted to do on my day off Friday, but blew the day (beautiful weather) and didn't do any of them.  We had some free time on our schedule for Saturday morning, so I talked my daughter into going with me to achieve the following goals:

 

1)  photograph rock formations and underwater ledges as a model for the rockscaping of my new tank build.  The tank is simply going to be a slice of this particular creek.  I want to replicate the environment as much as possible, and only keep species that live there (although I may catch them in nearby waters eventually).  It will be a true biotope tank.  Now, I really wanted to find a stream that had rainbow darters, and I wasn't sure how dense the population would be.  I figured that it may take several trips of sampling, collecting or observing to find them.  I know they aren't native to Maryland, but they're here to stay, and they're beautiful IMHO, so that's what I want in my tank!

 

2)  photograph anything during our journey that would be fun to do.

 

3)  collect some rocks for my tank.

 

The weather was rainy, and not predicted, so that was a bummer, but we made the most of it.  We accomplished the first two goals but ran out of time and failed to bring any rocks home.  Why did we run out of time?  Trying to get good photos of a pair of darters!

 

Anyway, here are some photos from our experience, the ones that may interest you all.  Sorry about the blurry or poor quality of the photographs.  I'm not sure if it was a factor of low light conditions, recent rains silting up the stream, our camera, camera user error, the fish keeping their distance, or all of the above.  We weren't snorkeling, just poking my waterproof camera down where we thought the fish were and hoping we captured the images where we might be able to identify what we've found.  The one thing that I wish that I had that I forgot was my polarized sunglasses...but we did OK considering, I think.

 

First, the stream:

 

Some underwater shots:

 

Our first underwater photo attempts at fish found these guys.  I'm not sure yet what they are, but I suspect they're bluntnose minnows (Pimephales notatus).  Do you all think that is the correct ID?  If not, what do you think?

 

We moved upstream and decided to check out another pool, and we found a pair of rainbow darters.  Not only did I find one, but we were able to get a few pictures of them!

 

Female and male?

 

Too bad his dorsal fins were down...

 

One up, one down...

 

Well hello!

 

Is that an "I didn't do it..." expression on his face?

 

And look who crashed the party!

 

We also saw but didn't photograph:  rock bass and redbreast sunfish..

 

Now that I have the bug, it's time to purchase some good snorkeling gear and do this right...my daughter and I had so much fun! 

 

Yesterday, I went fishing and of course, we fished a creek.  So, I spent almost as much time doing this again as I did fishing!  Once I get those pictures edited, then I'll post another report.

[Matt DeLaVega]

Bluntnose minnows are everywhere, and often the most common minnow. Could be the water clarity, and the photo, but that dark line is crazy. Everything says bluntnose, but wow, the conditions make that lateral stripe incredibly distinct. I am sure you are correct, but what photos can do is crazy.

 I agree on the rainbow darters as well, but I think you were confident already.

 

 Beautiful creek Kevin!

[mattknepley]

Cool, more daddy-daughter adventures! Can't help you with the ids, but I'd say you got some really neat pictures. I love how the darter in those last two pictures hasn't changed location, but his fins and body have changed position given changes in the current as it rolls by. Can't wait to see how you recreate a stream like this, aquascaping is something I love to see other people bring together, pretty much because I'm so inept at it!

[keepnatives]

I'm not sure on the bluntnose minnows, could they be a chub instead, maybe river chubs. 

[Matt DeLaVega]

Know what you mean Mike. I think is just the photos. River chub does not seem right in that size creek. What else is there to choose from Kevin?

[Chasmodes]

Thanks for the input guys...I guess I messed up the title, the date should be 7/18 LOL.  Duh.

 

Matt, this particular creek is known to have the following Cyprinid species :

 

Spotfin Shiner (Cyprinella spilopterus)

Bluntnose Minnow (Pimephales notatus)

Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys atratulus)

Central Stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum)

Rosyside Dace (Clinostomus funduloides)

Longnose Dace (Rhinichthys cataractae)

Common Shiner (Luxilus cornutus)

Creek Chub (Semotilus atromaculatus)

Central Stoneroller (Capostroma anomalum)

 

There is a river nearby, so it's possible some other minnow species could wander into the creek.

 

We also have a couple land lubber pics to share that were cool finds:

 

Dusky Salamander?  Not sure of the ID yet...need to research.

 

And a cool huge millipede...

[Chasmodes]

Other Cyprinids found in the same watershed (various tribs up river) include:

 

Spottail Shiner (Notropis hudsonius)

Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)

Rosyface Shiner (Notropis rubellus)

Eastern Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus regius)

Sliverjaw Minnow (Ericymba buccata)

Fallfish (Semotilus corporalis)

Pearl Dace (Margariscus margarita)

Swallowtail Shiner (Notropis procne)

Cutlips Minnow (Exoglossum maxillingua)

River Chub (Nocomis micropogon)

Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)

 

I'm surprised that the Satinfin Shiner hasn't been found in this watershed, because the river downstream has them...interesting.

[gerald]

Minnows could be blacknose dace too.  I'm pretty sure the 'mander is a northern dusky, but seal is also possible.

Try bugguide.net for the millipede ID (or just wait for Phil).

[Chasmodes]

Thanks Gerald!

 

The main point of my trip on Saturday was to get pics for aquascaping ideas for my tank.  I was reviewing the unedited pics and realized that the best background for a darter tank might just be what we observed the other day, where the pair of rainbow darters were hanging out.  I think it's doable too.  Here is a panned out shot...current flows left to right in this picture.  I think this is a really cool scene...and I think that I can duplicate it.

 

[Isaac Szabo]

Nice photos. I think your unknown cyprinids are creek chubs.

[Dustin]

I agree with Isaac on the creek chubs.

[Chasmodes]

Thanks for the ID help everyone.  The do look like creek chubs the more that I look at the picture!

[swampfish]

The blue bands on the millipede and its size make it likely to be Narceus americanus, but I'm not a millipede expert.

Phil Nixon

[Kanus]

I vote (eastern) blacknose dace for the minnows. I don't see the outlines of scales anywhere, that black line is very strong, and they lack the chubbiness in the body I'm used to seeing with creek chubs. Even at a small size they have very round bodies and a rounded, blunt snout. These look a little more pointy on the nose.

[Matt DeLaVega]

I vote (eastern) blacknose dace for the minnows. I don't see the outlines of scales anywhere, that black line is very strong, and they lack the chubbiness in the body I'm used to seeing with creek chubs. Even at a small size they have very round bodies and a rounded, blunt snout. These look a little more pointy on the nose.

 

That makes sense. Hence such the strong line. Bet you and Gerald are right. I didn't like it much for a bluntnose or a creek chub really. Head shape seems odd, but the photo is not straight from the side either.

[Josh Blaylock]

Beautiful creek and area.  ugh....I need to get out of the house.

[smilingfrog]

I vote (eastern) blacknose dace for the minnows. I don't see the outlines of scales anywhere, that black line is very strong, and they lack the chubbiness in the body I'm used to seeing with creek chubs. Even at a small size they have very round bodies and a rounded, blunt snout. These look a little more pointy on the nose.

I was initially thinking they might be balcknose dace as well, but noticed the forks on their caudal fins appear to come to a rather sharp point. I haven't kept blacknose dace in a while so my memory could be off, and the ones we have out here I think are westerns so maybe they are different anyway, but I do have some longnose dace and they have very rounded forks on their caudal fins. I remember my blacknose being the same. Is this a trait that could be used to say "yes it could be or no it couldn't be" in minnow id or is there a lot of variability in it?