Bluehead chub facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bluehead chub |
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Ceratichthys leptocephalus Girard 1856 |
The bluehead chub (Nocomis leptocephalus) is a type of minnow fish found in North America. It gets its name because the male fish have a blue head when they are ready to breed.
These fish are usually between 70 and 160 millimeters long. That's about the length of a small pencil to a large marker! They have a strong body with large scales all over, even on their belly. Bluehead chubs have a big mouth, small eyes, and a small whisker-like part called a barbel near their mouth. They also have a dark stripe along their side, a spot on their tail fin, and red colors on their fins and eyes. They are freshwater fish, meaning they live in rivers, streams, and pools. They like to eat insects and plants.
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Where Bluehead Chubs Live
Bluehead chubs live in freshwater places like pools, creeks, and small to medium-sized rivers. They prefer areas with sandy or rocky bottoms. These fish like warm or cool water that moves quickly. The water is often a bit cloudy, which is called turbid.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Bluehead chubs spawn (lay eggs) in the spring. The male fish builds a nest out of gravel in a small mound. The female then lays her eggs in this nest. The male releases sperm to fertilize the eggs. After the eggs are fertilized, the male stays to guard them until they hatch. Young bluehead chubs grow for about three years before they are old enough to reproduce themselves.
Where Bluehead Chubs Are Found
The bluehead chub is originally from the southeastern United States. You can find them in places like Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana. They live in river systems that flow towards the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, as well as parts of the lower Mississippi River.
Sometimes, bluehead chubs spread to new areas where they don't naturally live. This often happens because fishermen accidentally release them when they use them as bait.
About Their Name
The scientific name for the bluehead chub's genus is Nocomis. This name comes from a Native American word that means "grandmother."
See also
In Spanish: Nocomis leptocephalus para niños
