Stream Darters and Minnows

I looked in that book and think this guys are pointing you towards something that is like a bluntnose... but apparently isn't... maybe something form the same genus?

Look real close at both fishes caudal peduncle. I first thought the fish might be something else. But I believe that they are both stonerollers. I may be wrong, as it is a tough photo, and head is distorted from being in the corner. It is also nearly the most common fish in the state, so chances are.

At first I thought the last two were stonerollers too but look at the size and position on the mouth on the last one.  That combined with the smaller scales and faint but obvious spot in the dorsal make it a creek chub for me.

I thought it was a creek chub at first, then started second guessing. Still not sure. I felt like I was seeing the spot, but I am not sure if I do or it is in the background.

Like Dustin said, if you look closely, you'll see it has a creek chub mouth.

This may help to see it a little clearer.

Much better. I have no idea how to view the photos any better than what is posted. Can see the mouth much better.

Good deal on the Creek Chub, that was my initial inclination but wasn't sure. 

Here are some final pics! We went back to the creek yesterday for our last day of Stream Studies. This time, I put paper towels under the critter box, and put a box behind it to keep it a little bit darker. the colors and patterns were much more distinct.  

I meant to post these yesterday, but had some problems with my cell phone last night. 

my guesses: 

11. some sort of shiner; this was very common (hundreds of them!)

12. Black Side Top Minnow

13. Brooke Silverside

14. Central Stoneroller? 

15. Greenside Darter

16. Central Stoneroller

17. not sure.... could be yet another central Stoneroller

18. Greenside or Banded (snout doesn't seem as rounded as a Greenside?)

19. absolutely no idea, but this will be a first for me.... never seen this before. 

20. Greenside Darter

21. Central Stoneroller

22. Yet another Greenside Darter? 

23. Logperch Darter

24. Largemouth Bass (very tiny)

25. White Sucker

26. Bluegill (very tiny)

27. Rainbow Darter

let me know what you think about my i.d. attempts...... thanks!

My guesses.  Not sure about the shiner.

11. Emerald shiner??

12. F. olivaceous

13. Brook Silverside

14. Pimephales sp. Notatus? 

15. Greenside Darter

16. Central Stoneroller

17. Pimephales sp.

18. Banded darter

19. Trout perch 

20. Greenside Darter

21. White sucker

22. Banded darter 

23. Logperch

24. Bass

25. White Sucker

26. Bluegill

27. Rainbow Darter

I agree with Dustin.  I've never seen a Trout Perch, but that's a cool fish.

Dustin has it pretty well wrapped up.

11. I suspect emerald as well, though it could be a silver.

14. I think is vigilax  Not sure why?

17. notatus

24. Is a bass. Could it be a spotted? The dorsals connect and the mouth is mid. I am not sure.

Awesome on the trout perch.

I mostly agree with Dustin too ... except that first shiner could be either emerald or silver, and the topminnow might be notatus rather than olivaceus.   I think the two Pimephales minnows are both P. notatus (bluntnose).  look at the number of dorsal fin rays and location of anal fin to distinguish white sucker vs stoneroller.

Agree with both points Gerald.  Honestly went with olivaceous because it seems to be much more common (not sure I've ever handled a notatus) and with emerald because I typically associate silvers with being more substantial, less fragile looking.

Oh missed that it is notatus. not olivaceus.

Sorry, we just don't have olivaceus. should have mentioned that.

Oh, and what I always notice in vigilax is that clear membrane on top of the caudal peduncle.

I don't remember if we said this before, but a HUGE thank you goes back to you NatureBoy for posting reasonable pictures to identify fish from!  In fact, pretty nice pictures.  Good job.

Yes, I think I mentioned the decent photos. That is really a big deal. We are not used to them. good job, and due to them you got some good input.

thank you for the picture compliments, and more importantly thank you for the assistance with the identifications. I will be using these pics in a lab with my students on Monday and this has been a huge help. While I am very much a novice on the identification side, I have a huge passion for everything that is outdoors. Doing these kinds of things gets my students excited about the natural world.

thanks again, I'll back track to see if I have any additional pictures for identification.... if so, I'll post them.