From swamp in South Jersey

[Bottomfeeder]

A pic in water would help alot. Looks like an Eastern Mudminnow (Umbra pygmaea). IMO, the mouth is too pointed to be an Etheostoma (darter) species.

Sorry, he was scooped out of a muddy swamp from the bank. Didnt even see him underwater. But, I think you're right.

Snake head?

Not even close.

 

[bass4lyfe]

Put it in a tank and lets see it grow!

 

[crappiekeeper]

What do pickerel fry look like? I know this looks almost nothing like one but it's head looks like something that fouls develop into one. That vertical bar under the eye keeps making me think pickerel.

 

[warmouth]

A pic in water would help alot. Looks like an Eastern Mudminnow (Umbra pygmaea). IMO, the mouth is too pointed to be an Etheostoma (darter) species.

+1 I agree it would really help if we could see it in the water (I cant see its fins well enough).

 

[Owain4]

Could it maybe be a species of Stickleback???

 

[fobrinkle]

a pick in the aquarium would def help and def not a pickerel fry.

 

[Oddball]

Doesn't look like any stickleback I've ever seen. The caudal peduncle is much too thick for any species of Gasterosteus. And, even with spines folded down, they're easily seen.

 

[Oddball]

A pickerel, at that size, looks like a miniature version of an adult pickerel.

 

[Bottomfeeder]

I didnt take the fish. We were with a herping group and a researcher in a protected area of the Pine Barrens.

 

[Oddball]

Now I'm sure it's a mudminnow. I've done alot of seining and dip-netting in the pine barrens.