kids encyclopedia robot

List of fishes of Idaho facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Idaho is a state with many beautiful rivers, lakes, and streams. These freshwaters are home to a wide variety of fish. Some of these fish have always lived here, while others were brought in from different places. Fish that were brought in are called introduced species, and you'll see them marked with an asterisk (*) in this list. You'll also learn about some anadromous fish. These are fish that live in the ocean but swim up rivers to lay their eggs.

Fish of Idaho's Freshwaters

Ancient Fish: Lampreys and Sturgeons

Some fish families have been around for a very long time!

Lampreys

Lampreys are unique fish that don't have jaws. They have a round, sucking mouth.

  • Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus)

Sturgeons

Sturgeons are large, ancient fish with bony plates on their bodies instead of scales.

Herring Family: Shad

This family includes fish often found in oceans, but some, like the shad, come into freshwater.

  • American shad* (Alosa sapidissima) - This fish was introduced to Idaho.

Suckers and Minnows: The Cypriniformes Group

This is a very large group of fish, including many common species found in Idaho's waters.

Suckers

Suckers are fish known for their thick, fleshy lips that they use to suck up food from the bottom of rivers and lakes.

Minnows and Carps

This group includes many small fish, but also some larger ones like carp. Many of these are introduced species.

Livebearers: Guppies and Mosquitofish

Fish in this family are known for giving birth to live young, instead of laying eggs.

  • Mosquitofish* (Gambusia affinis) - Often used to control mosquito populations.
  • Guppy* (Poecilia reticulata)
  • Green swordtail* (Xiphophorus helleri)
  • Platy* (Xiphophorus ssp.)

Pikes and Muskellunge

These are predatory fish, meaning they hunt and eat other fish.

  • Northern pike* (Esox lucius)
  • Tiger muskellunge* (E. lucius x E. masquinongy) hybrid - This is a mix of two different fish species.

Perch-like Fish: Sunfish, Bass, and Perch

This large group includes many popular sport fish.

Sunfish and Bass

These fish are known for their round bodies and often bright colors. Bass are a type of sunfish.

Cichlids

Cichlids are a diverse group of fish, often found in tropical waters. Some have been introduced to Idaho.

  • Mozambique tilapia* (Tilapia mozambica)
  • Redbelly tilapia* (Tilapia zilli)
  • Convict cichlid* (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum)

Perch and Walleye

These fish are popular for fishing and eating.

Trout-Perch: Sand Roller

This small family includes fish that look a bit like both trout and perch.

  • Sand roller (Percopsis transmontana)

Cod Family: Burbot

The burbot is the only freshwater fish in the cod family.

Salmon and Trout: The Salmoniformes Group

This is a very important group of fish in Idaho, known for their beauty and as sport fish.

Whitefish

Whitefish are slender fish, often found in cold, clear waters.

Trout and Salmon

Idaho is famous for its trout and salmon. Many salmon species are anadromous.

Sculpins: Bottom Dwellers

Sculpins are small, bottom-dwelling fish with large heads and spiny fins.

  • Mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi)
  • Paiute sculpin (Cottus beldingi)
  • Slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus)
  • Shorthead sculpin (Cottus confusus)
  • Bear Lake sculpin (Cottus extensus)
  • Shoshone sculpin (Cottus greenei)
  • Wood River sculpin (Cottus leipomus)
  • Torrent sculpin (Cottus rhotheus)
  • Cedar sculpin (Cottus schitsuumsh)

Catfish: Whiskered Wonders

Catfish are easily recognized by the whisker-like barbels around their mouths, which they use to find food.

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of fishes of Idaho Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.