Rainbow darter (Etheostoma caeruleum)

Scientific name: Etheostoma caeruleum Storer, 1845

Rainbow darter (Etheostoma caeruleum)

The Rainbow darter (Etheostoma caeruleum) is a freshwater fish of the family Percidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 4–18°C (39–64°F).

Rainbow darter care at a glance

Temperature
4–18°C (39–64°F)

Biology

Adults inhabit fast gravel and rubble riffles of creeks and small to medium rivers; also found in streams. Feed on midge larvae, hydropsychid and hydroptilid caddisfly larvae, mayfly nymphs, and fish eggs. Distinct pairing during breeding. Eggs are found buried in the substrate.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Etheostoma caeruleum
Family
Percidae (Perches)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
7.7
Common length
5.3
Environment
Freshwater; benthopelagic
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
North America: Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins from southern Ontario in Canada and from western New York to Minnesota, and south to northern Alabama and Arkansas in the USA. Isolated populations in southwestern Mississippi and eastern Louisiana, and in upper Potomac River drainage in West Virginia, USA.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.64-0.82; tmax=3; Fec=508-1462)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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