Riverine Fish

Ohio is blessed with an abundance of water, but like all developing areas, past and present land use practices affect our water resources.

Land uses that allow soil to runoff into our waterways cause silting of streams and increased turbidity, which can result in a lower quality of water and thus a loss in the diversity of aquatic organisms.

Fish have specific habitat requirements, thus the health of a fish community can tell us a great deal about the quality of the waterway where they reside.

Riverine Fish of Ohio's Scenic Rivers

Northern Hog Sucker (Hypentelium nigricans)

northern hogsuckerUnlike the majority of other species of suckers in Ohio which are primarily pool oriented, the hog sucker is adopted for life in fast currents and is found in riffles, chutes, and runs of the larger and medium-sized streams throughout the state.

Hog suckers require substrates composed primarily of clean gravels and cobbles where they feed on the aquatic insect larva which live in these substrates.

They are adversely impacted by siltation of instream habitats which destroys their food base and limits their reproductive success.