Hobbies And Interests
Chubs and Fallfish
The river chub, a Nocomis species, is a bottom feeder common to medium-to-large tributaries. River chub are an important forage for game fish, and often used by anglers for bait. The species, which can reach 12 inches in length, can naturally hybridize with other Nocomis species, as well as Campostoma (stoneroller), Clinostomus (dace) and Luxilus species. The fallfish and creek chub, both Semotilus species, inhabit creeks and streams of moderate to low gradient. Fallfish, which can hybridize with rosyside dace and common shiners, have been reported as long as 20 inches.
Dace and Other Bottom Feeders
Two Clinostomus species occur in Maryland: the rosyside and redside dace. Rosyside dace are common throughout the state. Redside dace, found only in the Youghiogheny drainage (Bear Creek), are unique as they routinely leap in the air to feed on flying insects. The pearl dace, a Margariscus species, is a threatened species in Maryland. The Eastern and Western blacknose dace and the longnose dace, all members of the Rhinichthys genus, are bottom feeders, common throughout their range. Also a bottom feeder, the central stoneroller is found in all major drainages. Purplish in color, the cutlip minnow may use their bottom jaw as a shovel or to crush mollusk shells. Found only in the Youghiogheny drainage, the cheat minnow is an endangered species in Maryland.
Shiners and Other "True" Minnows
The natural prey of basses and sunfish, the golden shiner -- the only species of the Notemigonus genus -- is commonly raised in hatcheries as baitfish and occurs in all freshwater bodies. Eight species of the Notropis genus occur in Maryland: the silverjaw minnow, comely shiner, rosyface shiner, spottail shiner, ironcolor shiner, bridle shiner, swallowtail shiner and the emerald shiner, an transplanted native. The bridle and ironcolor shiners are both endangered species in Maryland; the comely shiner is threatened. Two species of the Pimephales genus -- the bluntnose and fathead minnows -- were both native transplants, stocked as forage fish or released from bait buckets. The Eastern silvery minnow, the sole member of the Hybognathus genus, is found in freshwater tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay with a salinity less than 5 ppm. The spotfin and satinfin shiners, both of the Cyprinella genus, commonly find their way into home aquariums. Two Luxilus species occur in Maryland: the common and striped shiners. While common shiners are abundant and very common, striped shiners are noted as a species in need of conservation as their existence in the State may be in jeopardy.
Introduced Exotics
Exotic species, intentionally stocked or introduced by misguided aquarists and fishermen, compete with native fish species for food and space, alter habitats and sometimes even prey on native species. Originating in the rivers of China and Japan, goldfish are now reported in all states but Alaska. Well established in Maryland waters, wild goldfish vary in color from gold to olive green and white. While there have been no direct impacts to Maryland's native species, goldfish may be responsible for the decline of a native fish in Nevada. The common carp, native to the Caspian Sea, was introduced to the United States during the 19th century. In Maryland, these fish are often associated with degraded waters, notably those receiving agricultural or sewage runoff. Common carp deteriorate aquatic habitats by destroying vegetation and increasing water turbidity. The grass carp, native to Eastern Russia and China, were stocked to biologically control vegetation. In addition to indirect impacts to the ecosystem, this species carries parasites and diseases transmissible to native species.