Mountain whitefish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mountain whitefish |
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| 16 inches (41 cm) Mountain whitefish, McKenzie River, Oregon | |
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Coregonus williamsoni Girard, 1856 Coregonus oregonius Jordan & Snyder, 1909 Prosopium oregonium (Jordan & Snyder, 1909) |
The mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) is a type of fish found in many rivers and lakes across western North America. It's a member of the salmon family, which also includes salmon and trout. You can find them from the Mackenzie River in Canada all the way south to Nevada and Utah in the United States. They are one of the most common salmonid fish in this region.
Contents
What Does a Mountain Whitefish Look Like?
The mountain whitefish has a long, thin body that is almost round. It's usually silver with a dark olive-green color on its back. Even though it looks a bit like a carp, it has a special small, fleshy fin on its back called an adipose fin. This fin is a sign that it belongs to the salmon family.
Fins and Size
The fish has a short head with a small mouth located under its snout. Its fins are also quite short. The fin on its back (dorsal fin) has 12 to 13 rays. The fin on its belly (anal fin) has 11 to 13 rays. It also has two sets of paired fins: pelvic fins (10 to 12 rays) and pectoral fins (14 to 18 rays). Its tail fin is forked, like a "V" shape.
Mountain whitefish can grow quite large. They have been recorded up to 70 centimeters (about 27.5 inches) long. Some can weigh as much as 2.9 kilograms (about 6.4 pounds).
Where Do Mountain Whitefish Live and What Do They Eat?
Mountain whitefish prefer to live in clear, cold water found in mountain streams and lakes. They especially like large, deep pools that are at least one meter (about 3 feet) deep. For example, the whitefish living in Lake Tahoe stay close to the bottom in deeper parts of the lake.
Their Diet
These fish are mostly bottom feeders. This means they search for food on the riverbed or lakebed. They use their fins to stir up the sand or gravel. This helps them find insect larvae and other small creatures. Their diet includes snails, crayfish, and tiny shrimp-like animals called amphipods.
Mountain whitefish usually feed most actively in the evening. However, they will also eat prey that drifts by during the day. While they often feed near the bottom, sometimes they will rise to the surface. This happens when insects like mayflies are hatching and flying around the water.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The mountain whitefish spawning season happens from October to early December. During this time, the water temperature is usually between 2 and 6 degrees Celsius (35 to 43 degrees Fahrenheit).
Laying Eggs
When it's time to spawn, the fish look for areas with coarse gravel or small rocks. These spots need to be at least 75 centimeters (about 30 inches) deep. The female fish scatter their eggs, which are not sticky. The eggs then sink down into the spaces between the gravel and rocks.
The eggs develop slowly through the winter months. This process takes about 6 to 10 weeks. The baby fish hatch in the early spring.
Where Are Mountain Whitefish Found?
This fish species lives all across the western half of North America. You can find them as far north as the Mackenzie River in Canada. They also live in rivers that flow into Hudson Bay. In the United States, they are common in the Columbia River, the upper Missouri River, and the upper Colorado River, among many others.
Mountain Whitefish and People
In the past, mountain whitefish were an important food source for some Native American peoples. They would catch these fish to help feed their communities.
Today, some people enjoy fishing for mountain whitefish as a sport. Anglers (people who fish with a rod and line) often catch them using small fishing lures. These lures can be tiny "nymphs" that look like insect larvae, such as Pheasant Tail, Hare's Ear, and Disco Midge. The fish will also bite on small spinners, streamers, and dry flies that float on the water.
See also
In Spanish: Prosopium williamsoni para niños
