Oxbow River Snorkeling

Family: Cyprinidae
​The Carps, Minnows, Shiners, & Chubs

Cyprinidae is a rather large family of freshwater fishes that include shiners, chubs, carp, stonerollers, and minnows. The similarities in features that all of these species share is a major reason for their grouping. These freshwater fishes have elongated bodies, a single dorsal fin with 9 or less rays, a fork tail, toothless jaws (sometimes with teeth in their throat), and ventral fins in the abdominal position. Males within the species Nocomis micropogon (river chub), Semotilus atromaculatus (creek chub), and Campostoma anomalum (central stonerollers) develop small tubercles (bumps) on their head during breeding season, which is the reason for their nickname “Horny Head.”  Tubercles are a small outgrowth usually on a bone but in this case their head, and are used for defense against other nuptial males within their own species, and mating with the females. Here in Transylvania County we have 12 genera within this group representing 17 species.

Central Stoneroller
(Campostoma anamalum​)

Central Stonerollers (Campostoma anomalum) are very abundant here in the upper French Broad where aggregates can be found swimming smaller streams or larger rivers. Adults can reach lengths of around 12 inches. Nuptial (breeding) males are referred to as “horny-heads” by the locals due to pointy tubercles seen on their heads and bodies. Spawning occurs from early-April to mid-June where males excavate shallow pits in clean gravel substrate. Females can be seen spawning in these pits occupied by one or more males. Males are often seen using these tubercles to defend pits against other males. Other smaller minnows, such as the Tennessee shiner (Notropis lueciodus) can also been seen spawning over stoneroller nests.
Etymology: Campo = curved; stoma = mouth; anamalum = extraordinary

River Chub
(Nocomis micropogon)

River chubs and creek chubs (listed below) build nests (mounds) made of thousands of pebbles carried in the male's mouth. Eventually the females lay eggs over the nest and the eggs will fall in between the rocks. While this happens the male will protect the eggs and its territory. Several cyprinid species also spawn over these nests including warpaint shiners, Tennessee shiners, saffron shiners, and stonerollers. 
Occassionally, hydridization occurs between several of these species. 

There are several misconceptions concerning chubs, especially among fishermen. Many fishermen think of chubs as trash fish along with fish species in the family Catostomatidae (suckers). They are, however, very important for our river's ecosystem and should be valued as much. 

Rosyside Dace
(Clinostomus funduloides)

Members of this species are small minnows that reach approximately 4.5 inches in length and inhabit the pools of cooler mountain streams with plenty of rocky substrate along the streambed. Etnier and Starnes recorded in their famous book, The Fishes of Tennessee (1993), a very short breeding season where they observed spawning to be from mid-May to early-June. Nuptial (breeding) males develop turbercles during this time, and can be observed spawning with their female counterpart over stoneroller nests along with several other species, including Tennessee shiners.

Warpaint Shiner
(Luxilus coccogenis)
​

Tennessee Shiner
(Notropis leuciodus)

Saffron Shiner
(Notropis rubricroceus)
Check out the yellow fins of the saffron shiner in the video. This video was shot toward the end of spawning season below Island Ford Bridge. There are several species spawning (see top video) over this nest, including saffron shiners, warpaint shiners, Tennessee shiners, stonerollers, and river chubs.

Spawning occurs from March until around late-June.

Fatlips Minnow
(Phenacobius crassilabrum)
​

Longnose Dace
(Rhinichthys cataractae)
​

Western Blacknose Dace
(Rhinichthys obtusus)

Creek Chub
(Semotilus atromaculatus)
Creek chubs and river chubs (see above) build nests (mounds) made of thousands of pebbles carried in the male's mouth. Eventually the females lay eggs over the nest and the eggs will fall in between the rocks. While this happens the male will protect the eggs and its territory. Several cyprinid species also spawn over these nests including warpaint shiners, Tennessee shiners, saffron shiners, and stonerollers. Occassionally, hydridization occurs between several of these species. 

There are several misconceptions concerning chubs, especially among fishermen. Many fishermen think of chubs as trash fish along with fish species in the family Catostomatidae (suckers). They are, however, very important for our river's ecosystem and should be valued as much.