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

Yellow Bullhead (Ameirus natalis)

Yellow Bullhead CatfishA resident of shallow bays, weedy glacial lakes, oxbows, and low gradient streams characterized by clear waters, submersed aquatic vegetation, and clean substrates, the yellow bullhead was historically the most numerous of the three species of bullheads found in Ohio.

The largest populations were found in the western basin of Lake Erie and its associated tributaries, the old canal lakes such as Buckeye and Indian lakes, and in the lower gradient streams of western and northeastern Ohio.

Populations have declined statewide over the last 50 years in response to increasing water turbidities, siltation of stream substrates, and habitat destruction. As a consequence the yellow bullhead is now less numerous than the black bullhead which favors turbid waters and silted bottom conditions.