ID please

[duke33]

I caught this guy about a month ago. Bout 3 inches long. No one around here eer paid any attention to such a little thing. It is a bottom feeder. Finally got over his shyness enough to take a pic. Anyone got a clue?

 

[Polypterus]

Fantail darter

 

[dogfish]

Fantail darter

yup

 

[duke33]

Thanks, the best I could come up with was mudskipper.

 

[teleost]

I'm certain it's closely related to flabellarebut those widely separated caudal spots have me wondering if it's not something else. I might be crazy though.

Fantail is the best possible guess without specific knowledge of your local fish.

 

[ShadowBass]

Thanks, the best I could come up with was mudskipper.

They do kind of look like a type of goby.

There's so many darter species it's ridiculous. They're hard, sometimes impossible, to identify without the fish in hand, an idea of where it was caught, and an I.D guide.

 

[Polypterus]

I'm certain it's closely related to flabellarebut those widely separated caudal spots have me wondering if it's not something else. I might be crazy though.

Fantail is the best possible guess without specific knowledge of your local fish.

I thought Crossopterum or maybe kennicotti based on those damn spots but without detail of locality it may as well just be a fantail darter type fish. It's one of the group which will require the poster to give more detail.

 

[duke33]

It was caught in a small creek in the middle of West Virginia. I've seen them about 5" long and as big as my thumb. ....yeah, lol anyway I've been looking at local state sites and nuttin. When I do find out, and will, I'll let you all know. It's funny these country boys don't know the name of a fish they,ve probably mixed in thier scrambled eggs! LOL