Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 36
Eastern Mudminnow
CANDIDATE
by Rob Criswell
photos by the author
They are creatures of the underworld, the darker and
dirtier the better. Lurking about unseen by the mainstream masses, they hide, waiting for a victim to assail.
They are not picky. They will take what they can get and
move on. To all who know them, their name is mud.
Mudminnows, the denizens of the dark described
above, make their homes in some of the most difficult
conditions in the fish world. They are partial to the
most sluggish sections of flowing waters, and sometimes
occur in ditches, marshes, swamps and ponds. All they
really need to keep them happy is a little food and lots of
vegetation. And, a little oxygen is helpful, whether it is in
the water or the air.
Ideal habitat for these recluses includes lazy backwaters
and pools with a bottom of mud, muck, sand or detritus
(non-living organic material). In addition, there should
be extensive beds of aquatic plants such as bulrushes,
pondweeds, water lilies, spatterdock or algae. Its
requirements are often satisfied by wetlands.
Five species of mudminnows are known. All occur
in the United States and Canada, and two reside in
36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * September/October 2014
Pennsylvania. The Eastern Mudminnow is confined
to Atlantic and Gulf Coast drainages and ranges from
southern New York to northern Florida. In Pennsylvania, it
only occupies the Delaware River system.
The Central Mudminnow has a broader range from
much of southern Canada south to Tennessee and
Arkansas. Pennsylvania populations occur in the Lake Erie
drainage and western portion of the Ohio River system.
Mudminnows are somewhat elongated fishes with
rounded fins. They are usually rather somberly colored
and seldom exceed 5 inches in length. The Central
Mudminnow has a dark green to brown upper body with
whitish underside. It may have up to 14 dark vertical bars
on its side. Spawning males may temporarily don brighter
coloration generally, and the pelvic and anal fins become
iridescent green.
Eastern Mudminnows sport 10 to 14 dark brown stripes
as well, but they are oriented horizontally. Both species
possess a dark vertical bar just in front of the tail.
Feeding habits and diets of the two species are similar.
Table fare includes amphipods and copepods (small
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014
Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 17
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 20
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 22
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 23
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 25
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 28
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 35
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 38
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - 53
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2014 - Cover4
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