What kind of fish in arkansas

Advances in reproductive technologies allow the production of hybrids, which are crosses between two fish species from the same genus. Hybrid fishes tend to exhibit hybrid vigor, whereby the hybrids display the best characteristics of both parental species. Hybrids may grow faster, be more tolerant of poor water quality, or fight better when caught by anglers.

Three hybrids have been stocked in Arkansas to improve and diversify angling opportunities. The tiger muskellunge is a cross between northern pike and muskellunge. Sunshine bass is a cross between white bass Morone chrysops and striped bass Morone saxatilis , and saugeye is a cross between sauger Sander canadensis and walleye Sander vitreus. Hybrids generally have reduced reproductive capacity, and none of these hybrids are self-sustaining populations in natural waters of the state.

The fish fauna of Arkansas is dynamic. There have been at least eighteen new species identified in Arkansas since authors H. Robison and T.

Buchanan completed their work on Fishes of Arkansas in There is a growing concern regarding the introduction of non-native fishes.

The benefits of introduced fish species should be compared to the risk of negative effects of introduced species on native fishes and their habitats. Management of the diverse fish fauna and conservation of Arkansas native and introduced fishes will require creative solutions to present and future conflicts over water resources, land use practices, and industrial and agricultural development.

For additional information: Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. Geological Survey. Robison, Henry W. Fishes of Arkansas. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, Table 1.

Geological Survey Nonindigeneous Aquatic Species Database lists fifty-one records of nonindigeneous fishes in Arkansas. The exact number of nonindigeneous species is debatable and is likely to change occasionally as new fish are introduced.

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Go Back. Get Involved. Nominate an Entry Review Entries. Atlantic Mackerel. Black Drum. Black Sea Bass. Blue Marlin. Blue Shark. Bluefin Tuna. Bull Shark. Dolphin Fish. Great White Shark. Hickory Shad. King Mackerel. Little Tunny.

Mako Shark. Other Saltwater. Oyster Toadfish. Red Drum. Red Snapper. Sand Trout. Sandbar Brown Shark. Scup Porgy. Spanish Mackerel. Striped Bass. Summer Flounder Fluke. Thresher Shark. Tommy Cod. White Marlin. Winter Flounder. Winter Skate. Yellowfin Tuna. Flag Item. Please tell us why you would like to flag this item. Submit Close. Main Content There are over 30, species of fish on Earth. About 1, of those are found within the boarders of the United States and about of those are found within the state of Arkansas.

As you might imagine, not all of those species are appropriate for fishing ponds. Below are images and descriptions of several common, and some not so common, species found in Arkansas ponds. Blackspotted topminnow Fundulus olivaceus The blackspotted topminnow is common in shallow backwaters and small streams throughout Arkansas and the lower Mississippi river drainage.

Its maximum length is about 3. Blackspotted topminnows typically don't persist in ponds for long without replenishment by inflow from upstream wetlands. Blackspotted topminnows are forage for larger predator fish.

Golden topminnow Fundulus chrysotus Golden topminnows are found in parts of southeastern Arkansas, Louisiana and along the gulf coast into Florida inhabiting swamps, vegetated backwaters and small to medium-sized streams.

Their maximum length is about 3. This small attractive fish will usually only persist in ponds that have dense vegetation and inflows from vegetated wetlands to replenish their numbers. Golden topminnows are forage for larger predator fish.

Brook silverside Labidesthes sicculus The brook silverside is common near the surface of large lakes, ponds and calm pools of flowing streams throughout the entire Mississippi river drainage and the southeastern USA.

Its maximum length is around 5 inches and it feeds primarily on zooplankton. Brook silversides are forage for larger predator fish. Taillight shiner Notropis maculatus The taillight shiner is usually found in vegetated backwaters of small to large rivers and ponds in the lower Mississippi river drainage and the southeastern USA. Its maximum length is around 3 inches and it feeds on zooplankton, some planktonic algaes and some insect larvae.

The taillight shiner is one of many small wetland fish that would provide forage for larger predator fish. Golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas Golden shiners are widely sold as live-bait in fishing tackle stores, but they are also often stocked into ponds as supplemental forage fish. They eat a variety of small foods, including some fish eggs, but they feed principally on zooplankton. Golden shiners can grow to over 10 inches in length but they are usually less than 6 inches.

They can spawn multiple times during the spring with their adhesive eggs sticking to aquatic vegetation. Despite this, golden shiners are highly susceptible to largemouth bass predation; so much so that they are usually eradicated from ponds with healthy largemouth bass populations.

Therefore, they are usually only recommended when ponds are newly built or renovated to give largemouth bass forage options other than the newly-established bluegill, or as a supplemental forage option in established ponds where the largemouth bass are not growing well. Fathead minnow Pimephales promelas Fathead minnows are widely sold as live-bait in fishing tackle stores, but they are also often stocked into newly-built or renovated ponds as a small forage option for newly-stocked fingerling largemouth bass.

Fathead minnows are quite small, usually less than 3 inches in length, so their utility as a forage fish for adult largemouth bass is limited. Fathead minnows normally have dark olive backs fading to silvery bellies, but color varieties such as the "rosy-red" pictured have been developed as a flashy option for live-bait anglers.

Despite their ability to spawn multiple times during the spring, fathead minnows are usually eliminated from ponds where healthy largemouth bass populations exist. Pirate perch Aphredoderus sayanus Pirate perch are small, usually less than 4 to 5 inch, backwater swamp-dwelling fish that typically eat aquatic insects and small invertebrates.

The most peculiar aspect of pirate perch is that the anus of the adults is located between the gills on the throat. Pirate perch are a rare inhabitant of fishing ponds and they have little to no impact on the pond fish communities they inhabit. Tilapia Oreochromis spp. Tilapia are native to Africa but they have been introduced worldwide principally for human consumption. They have since become one of the most economically important fish in the world.

Tilapia have some capacity to control the nuisance aquatic plant, filamentous algae, but their utility is limited by their susceptibility to cold. Tilapia become sluggish in water below 55 degrees Fahrenheit and they die below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, they must be restocked each spring. Tilapia are sometimes stocked as a supplemental forage fish in ponds where trophy largemouth bass is the primary goal. Due to their frequent reproduction throughout the summer, tilapia can produce large amounts of forage in a relatively short amount of time.

Tilapia should only be stocked into ponds where their escape is highly unlikely because they have the potential to be quite invasive and harmful to local aquatic communities. Threadfin shad Dorosoma petenense Threadfin shad are open-water schooling filter-feeders commonly 4 to 6 inches in length that eat primarily planktonic algae. They are an excellent food source for largemouth bass and they are occasionally stocked into ponds for that purpose.

However, threadfin are susceptible to cold and begin to die when water drops below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. For this reason, it can be difficult to keep threadfin shad alive for more than a year in Arkansas ponds, especially in northern parts of the state. Gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum Gizzard shad are open-water schooling filter-feeders that look very similar to threadfin shad.