Rock Springs 4-H Center is well known for it’s beautiful streams. Countless numbers of campers have taken home fond memories of frolicking in the cold, clear streams. In addition to creating memories, these streams provide habitat for several species of fish and wildlife. Common snapping turtles, northern water snakes, and kingfishers often catch the eyes of visitors to Rock Springs. However, the diversity of fish in the streams often goes unnoticed. Several different species of fish, including the Topeka Shiner, live in these streams. This is a guide to the fishes that live in the streams of Rock Springs.

For this guide I studied all of the streams above the dam at Wa-Shun-Ga, below the Stoneybrook housing area and below the archery range. I seined these streams several times over a three year period, often with the help of campers during environmental education.

These streams are typically cold, and clear with a limestone bottom. As the stream meanders it varies from deep, slow moving pools to shallow, oxygen rich riffles. The numerous springs help keep the water cool and steadly flowing.

Description: The Topeka shiner has a dark stripe down the side and a small crescent moon shaped spot at the base of the tail fin. The dorsal fin (fin on the back) is tall and pointed. It’s mouth is terminal, meaning that it is at the tip of the head instead of being on the bottom or top. The scales on the back are outlined, revealing a faint x-shaped pattern. During the spring the fins may turn red. The maximum size for this fish is about three inches (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: Topeka shiner eats small insects such as midge larvae and other aquatic insects found on the bottom of the stream.

Comments: The Topeka shiner is a candidate for federal listing as an endangered species and is currently considered to be a species in need of conservation (SINC). This means that unless measures are taken to protect this species, it could go extinct. The streams of Rock Springs are ideal habitat for the Topeka Shiner considering that they prefer to live in clear, open pools near springs that maintain a constant water level (Cross and Collins 1995).

Southern Redbelly Dace

(Phoxinus erythrogaster)

Description: The sides of a southern redbelly dace are marked with two dark stripes that have a pale streak between them. The scales are so small that they almost appear invisible. In spring the males develop a a blood red belly along with bright yellow fins. The maximum leinght for this fish is about 3 1/2 inches (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: Southern red belly daces feed on algae and a variety of aquatic micro-organisms in the stream.

Comments: The southern redbelly dace is abundant in the streams of Rock Springs and are one of the most common fish found. They live in small, clear streams and often are found near cool spring water (Cross and Collins 1995) which makes the streams at Rock Springs ideal habitat. Some people believe that they are an indication of good water quality.

Red Shiner

(Cyprinella lutrensis)

Description: The body of a red shiner is thin and appears to be flattened from side to side. The sides can look silvery or bluish. The mouth is positioned at the tip of the head. During the spring males will often develop blue sides, red fins and a rose colored crescent moon shaped patch behind the head. Maximum length for adults is about 3 1/2 inches (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: Red shiners are omnivorous which means their diet consists both plants and small aquatic animals. They mainly eat invertebrates that live in the stream. However they do eat some algae.

Comments: The red shiner is one of the most common fish in the streams of Rock Springs. They are thought to live in every natural body of water in Kansas (Cross and Collins 1995). They will live in a variety of conditions and are tolerant to conditions that would cause many other fishes stress, such as pollution, harsh temperatures and low amounts of dissolved oxygen. In areas where human activity has depleted other species the red shiner numbers have increased.

Common Shiner

(Luxilus cornatus)

Description: The common shiner has shinny silver sides. They have a stripe running horizontally down the middle of their back. They have large scales and sometimes it looks like some scales are missing or disturbed. The eye of the common shiner is big and obvious. During the spring males develop tubercles and red pigments on the fins and body. This minnow can reach lengths of about 7 inches (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: The common shiner tends to be an insectivore, meaning that insects are usually the only thing on the menu.

Comments: The common shiner prefers to live in small to medium sized streams with gravel bottoms that alternate from pools to riffles (Cross and Collins 1995). The common shiner has been known to be a nest parasite (Cross and Collins 1995). This means that they lay their eggs in the nests of other fishes, especially creek chubs (Semotilus atromaculatus) (Cross and Collins 1995).

Redfin Shiner

(Lythrurus umbratilis)

Description: The body of a redfin shiner may appear silver or bluish. The scales on the sides and back are very small and hard to see. The fins usually look dark gray to bluish and sometimes have red margins. The base of the dorsal fin has a dark spot on it. This fish does not get larger than 2 1/2 inches (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: Animal plankton and small insects are the preferred diet of the redfin shiner (Cross and Collins 1995).

Comments: The redfin shiner closely resembles the red shiner. One easy way to tell the two species apart is to compare the scales. The scales on the redfin shiner are much smaller. The name redfin shiner is misleading due to the fact that their fins are not very red. Redfin Shiners prefer to live in small, calm streams with rocky riffles and pools. Many areas of Rock Springs are suitable for the redfin shiner, however they are not very common.

Fathead Minnow

(Pimephales promelas)

Description: The fathead minnow can appear brownish, greenish, or almost black. The body is rounded and the head appears fat as the name implies. During the breeding season, males become dark and develop tubercles on their snout. The scales are tiny and not always easy to see and the edges of the fins are rounded. The maximum size for adults is about 4 inches (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: The fathead minnow eats plants, small aquatic organisms, and some detritus (Cross and Collins 1995).

Comments: Fathead minnows are fairly common in the streams of Rock Springs. This fish can be found in a variety of stream water conditions. They live in everything from crystal-clear to murky muddy water. They are one of the hardiest fish found in Kansas. This fish is commonly grown in aquaculture for fishing bait. Aquaculture is the commercial farming of fish.

Bluntnose Minnow

(Pimephales notatus)

Description: The bluntnose minnow has a dusky streak down the side the narrow body and a black spot at the base of the tail fin. The nose is rounded and extends past the mouth. During the spring some males develop hard bumps on their nose called tubercles. The edges of the fins appear to be rounded. This fish can grow to 4 1/2 inches (Cross and Collins).

Food: The diet of a bluntnose minnow usually consist of plant and animal tissue that has partially decomposed (detritus). They are also known to eat some aquatic larvae.

Comments: This fish is not as common at Rock Springs as are fathead minnows (Pimphales promelas), a close relative . They prefer to live in the pools of small, unclouded streams. The male bluntnose minnow is somewhat of an aggressive fish and will often defend a territory from other minnows and small fish during the breeding season.

Creek Chub

(Seomtilus artomaculatus)

Description: The creek chub has a light gray to dusty green body and sometimes have a stripe running down the center of the body. At the base of the tail fin there is a small dark spot. The mouth is very large and is terminal (at the tip of the head). Creek chubs can grow to a length of about 12 inches (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: The creek chub is a carnivore, meaning that it eats other animals. They eat about anything living that can fit in their mouth including other fish, crayfish, snails, and small insects.

Comments: This is one of the larger fish in the streams of Rock Springs. Due to their voracious appetite they can be caught on a fishing lure and can be easily caught fly fishing. At first glance this fish resembles a largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides).

Stonecat

(Noturus flavus)

Description: This fish is a small catfish. The body can appear brownish to yellowish with a light streak that runs to the end of the tail (it does not line the entire tail fin). The tail fin is rounded and like all catfish they have wiskers around the sides of their mouth. The Kansas state record stonecat was 8 inches long (Cross and Collins 1995). However they are usually 3-4 inches long.

Food: The diet of a stonecat consist of worms, snails, insects, and occasionally small fish.

Comments: The spines in the dorsal fin (fin on the back) have a mild toxin that can cause a lot of pain if they spike you. The toxin is not lethal but it may cause swelling and pain. These fish should be handled with care. Stonecats like to live in riffles and are often found in clear streams. Stonecats are rare at Rock Springs.

White Sucker

(Catostomus commersonii)

Description: This fish has a pail green to dirty yellow colored body. When they are small they will have three black spots on their sides. The head of the white sucker appears rounded without a flat area between the eyes. The lips are large and fleshy with small bumps. White suckers can reach lengths of 15 inches and have been known to reach weights of 3 pounds in some lakes (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: The white sucker is omnivorous, meaning that it eats both plants and animals. It prefers to eat insect larvae and algae.

Comments: The white sucker is a common fish at Rock Springs and one of the largest. It likes to live in clear streams with rocky bottoms, but it sometimes lives in clear lakes.

Central Stoneroller

(Campostoma anomalum)

Description: This fish has a dull greeninsh to grey color with a some sopts that appear a little darker. During the spring males develop tubricles on their head and an orange and black band on the dorsal fin (fin on the back). The nose of this fish is rounded and proturdes over the mouth. The lower lip is large and looks like a flap of skin. Adults can grow to a length of about 8 1/2 inches (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: The central stoneroller picks small pieces of organic matter and small organisms off rocks and other objects on the bottom of the stream. They often pick up small rocks and spit them out again giving them the name stoneroller.

Comments: Central stonerollers tend to be found in streams with cool, clear, well oxygenated water (Cross and Collins 1995). They do well in areas where light reaches the bottom of the stream causing algae to grow. This is a common fish in the streams of Rock Springs.

Green Sunfish

(Lepomis cyanellus)

Description: As the name implies the green sunfish has a green colored body. It also has some orange on the breast and pale blue stripes near the head (Cross and Collins 1995). The mouth is large and terminal. There is a black spot on the gill cover which is called the ear-spot. The Kansas state record weighed 2 1/2 pounds and measured 11 1/2 inches (Cross and Collins 1995). However, at Rock Springs the average size is around 5-7 inches.

Food: The green sunfish is a carnivore with a big appetite. They commonly eat other fish, insects, worms, and almost anything they can fit in their mouth.

Comments: The green sunfish is the most common fish in Kansas, and can easily be caught on worms or fishing flies (Cross and Collins 1995). This is the most frequently caught fish in the streams of Rock Springs. The green sunfish can be found in many different habitats, including streams, rivers, and lakes.

Longear Sunfish

(Lepomis megalotis)

Description: The longear sunfish can be a very attractive fish. Males will often have very bright colors including orange, turquoise, purple and green. However, they can have a greenish colored body with a belly that is often bright orange. The gill cover has a long blue flap giving it the name longear. The mouth is relatively small. This fish grows to a length of about 9 1/2 inches (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: The longear sunfish is a carnivore with a diet that consist mainly of insects and small fish.

Comments: Longear sunfish can be caught with a rod and reel. However, they are not nearly as common as the green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) in these streams. The longear sunfish makes an excellent addition to an aquarium, however they can be very aggressive.

Orangethroat Darter

(Etheostoma spectabile)

Description: The orangethroat darter can be a very colorful fish. During the spring males develop brilliant blue vertical bands and a bright orange throat. The fins turn blue and may develop an orange border. Darters usually retain some blue and orange throughout the year. The head of this fish looks rounded and the mouth is terminal. This is a small fish that reaches a maximum size of about 2 3/4 inches (Cross and Collins 1995). Darters are almost always resting on the stream bottom.

Food: The diet of an orange throat darter consist of caddisfly larvae, blood worms, other small insects, and fish eggs (Cross and Collins 1995).

Comments: Darters get their name from the way they move around. They do not have a very well developed swim bladder. In other fish the swim bladder is the organ that allows them to float at different depths in the water. Without a well developed swim bladder the darters are forced to rest on the bottom and dart from place to place giving them their name.

This is a common fish at Rock Springs. They live in small streams that have a bottom of small gravel (Cross and Collins 1995). They are most commonly found the shallow riffles. In some of the very small streams at Rock Springs, where the water is nothing more than a trickle, orangethroat darters will be the only fish living there.

Spotted Bass

(Micropterus punctulatus)

Description: This fish can appear greenish to golden with a faint line running from the head to the tail. Usually there are several blotches along this line. The mouth is large but it does not extend past the eye. The scales on the cheek are very small and are smaller than the scales on the gill cover. This fish appears similar to the largemouth bass (Micropetrus salmonides). The Kansas record measured 18 1/2 inches and weighed 4 1/2 pounds (Cross and Collins 1995).

Food: The spotted bass is a voracious predator. The diet consist of anything living that it can fit in the mouth such as crayfish, small fish, or insects.

Comments: The spotted bass is rare in the streams of Rock Springs. However, they can be found around the Wa-Shun-Ga area. They prefer to live in small streams but can sometimes be found in lakes and rivers. This fish is an excellent sport fish and can put up a very good fight for their size.

Rainbow Trout

(Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Introduced species: Rainbow Trout have been introduced into the pool below the water wheel. They can survive there due to the cold spring water. Occasionally they escape from this pool into the stream. Rainbow trout are not native to Kansas.

Reference

Cross, F. B. and J. C. Collins. 1995. Fishes in Kansas. University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Lawrence.