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Re: Fish ID ideas?

Hmmm...  It could possibly be a sculpin.  However, sculpins are primarily
associated with rocky areas and cold water.  The spring may be cold enough
to support it. You seem to indicate that the stream is more palnt-filled,
which does help to rule out a sculpin.  It still could be, though.
I don't htink it was a darter.  Darters typically do not have a head much
wider than the rest of the body.  
My next guess would be that it was a catfish of some sort.  Possibly a
bullhead, madtom, etc.  It could, unfortunately, also have been a pleco.
But, fotunately, the names been sent in two e-mails, thereby cursing them,
and they're dead.  (Don't ask how, but its a common superstition on
newsgroups [i.e., places to post spam] that if you type the word "pleco"
your pleco will die.) Without a better description, the best way to figure
out what it was would be a description of how it moved.  Did it bounce
along the bottom?  Did it swim just off the bottom?  Did it sit around?


><>
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 Dubotchugh yIpummoH.                      bI'IQchugh Yivang!

On Wed, 17 Jun 1998, Kudzu wrote:

> I stopped by a spring that I collect plants out of in North Alabama today.
> This spring runs out from under a hill and heads into the Tennessee River.
> The water is probably in the 60's. I had spotted a fish the other day and
> went back looking. Today I found (2) 2"-3" long fish. The one I could see
> clearly was shaped much like a Pleco. Large head skinny tail and the two
> pelvic or pectoral fins are parallel to the bottom. The fish was black or at
> least dark brown. No other apparent markings. The two pectoral fins had
> white or clear markings on them. Keep in mind that I over him looking
> straight down.
> 
> I didn't try to catch him since I have not yet gotten my collectors permit.
> I have looked at Peterson's and nothing looks quite right. Some have some
> clue and lead me to toward what it might be? I am guessing it is most likely
> a sculpin or darter. However I just didn't see one that looked right.
> 
> In case it matter this spring is overrun with Water Cress and a few
> Ludwigia's.
> 
> Jeff <*\\><
> "Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds
> on the heel that has crushed it" Mark Twain
> www.airnet.net/kudzu/ "Kudzu's Christian Clipart Collection"
>
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