Owens sucker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Owens sucker |
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The Owens sucker (Catostomus fumeiventris) is a type of fish. It belongs to the Catostomidae family, which includes many kinds of suckers. This fish is special because it is found only in California.
What It Looks Like
The Owens sucker looks a lot like the Tahoe sucker. However, the Owens sucker has rougher scales. Its body color is also not as bright. Adult Owens suckers are usually a dark, slate-gray color. Some can be very dark, almost black. Their bellies are often dusky, especially when males are spawning. This fish can grow up to 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) long. But most of the time, they are around 30 centimeters (about 12 inches) long.
Where It Lives
The Owens sucker is found only in the Owens River in the Owens Valley of eastern California. This means it is endemic to that area. It has also been moved to other places. For example, you can find it in June Lake and Mono Lake. It was also introduced to the Santa Clara River system. This happened when water from the Owens River was released through the Los Angeles Aqueduct.
We are not sure how well the fish are doing in the Santa Clara system. Any Owens suckers there might mix with the Santa Ana sucker. The Owens sucker is very common in Crowley Lake. You can also find populations in Convict Lake and Lake Sabrina. A group of these fish has also settled in the Owens River sanctuary.
Its Home
Owens suckers usually live in cool streams. They prefer places with soft bottoms. But they can also live at the bottom of lakes and reservoirs.
Life Cycle and Diet
Owens suckers are active at night. They eat a variety of things. Their diet includes water insects, algae, and bits of dead plants and animals.
They lay their eggs, which is called spawning, from May to early July. They usually choose areas with gravel bottoms in small rivers or streams. Fish living in lakes will also spawn over gravelly parts of the lake bed or near springs. Young Owens suckers are called larvae. They become juveniles when they are about 19–22 millimeters long. These young fish hide along the edges of streams. They also like to stay in calm backwaters among water plants.
