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Fish > Rainbow Darter
Rainbow Darter Coloring Sheet
All
about Rainbow Darters
What's In a Name?
Common Name:
Rainbow darter -- named from the range of colors displayed by males
during the spawning season.
Scientific Name:
Etheostoma (ee-thee-ah´-stoe-mah) taken from the word etheo meaning
to filter, and stoma meaning mouth in Greek caeruleum (sair-rule´-ee-um)
means blue in Latin.
Where Do They Live?
Perhaps Minnesota's most colorful fish they are common in rivers like
the Cannon, Zumbro, Root, and Cedar in the southeastern part of the
state. They are much less common in the lower St. Croix River and in
the tributaries of the Minnesota River. They have also been found in
the Red River drainage, but only in the Otter Tail River. Rainbow darters
prefer clear water in areas of moderate to fast current with a rocky
substrate (stream bottom), habitat usually associated with riffles.
Their presence is often an indication of a high-quality resource because
they do not tolerate most forms of water pollution or habitat alteration.
How Big Do They Get?
Rainbow darters are tiny relatives of the walleye. They typically
grow 2 to 3 inches in length and rarely live beyond the age of three.
What Do They Eat?
Young rainbow darters eat mostly small crustaceans. As they grow into
adulthood the size of their food gets larger and they eat a greater
variety of items including insect larvae, young crayfish, snails, and
the eggs of other small fishes.
What Eats Them?
Rainbow darters have only rarely been found in the stomachs of other
fishes; however, they are undoubtedly eaten by predatory fishes such
as the burbot, large stonecats, and smallmouth bass. Fish-eating birds
such as the great blue heron are also likely predators. Humans do not
eat them, and they are illegal to use as bait.
"Cool Fact"
Lake Phalen in Ramsey County is the only lake in the world where
rainbow darters have been found.
Credits: Photograph by Konrad P. Schmidt. Text modified from Bell
Museum of Natural History, Fishes
of Minnesota Web site (Nicole Paulson & Jay T. Hatch authors)
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