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Suckers: Grayfin Redhorse | |
 Grayfin Redhorse Florida Range: Apalachicola River system, including the Chipola River. Overall distribution: The grayfin redhorse is restricted to the Apalachicola River drainage of Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Identification: As its name implies, this sucker has plain dusky or gray fins. Florida's other Moxostoma suckers, the blacktail redhorse and river redhorse, have distinctively colored fins. The lower portion of the tail fin is black and white in the blacktail redhorse, and the tail fin is red in the river redhorse. In addition, neither of these two suckers occur together with the grayfin redhorse. The grayfin redhorse does somewhat resemble the spotted sucker, with which it does co-occur. However, the spotted sucker is readily identified by the numerous black spots along its sides. Life History and Ecology: Most of our knowledge of the life history of the grayfin redhorse has come from investigations conducted in Georgia, where food items included various aquatic insects such as caddisflies and mayflies, and also molluscs. In addition, a substantial amount of organic detritus was also eaten. Reproduction occurred from March to May, and females produced an average of 13,000 eggs apiece. They may live to six years of age, and may reach 20.5 inches in length and weigh three pounds. Throughout its limited range it inhabits a wide variety of stream types, ranging from small streams to large rivers. Although it has been collected from reservoirs, it rarely inhabits standing waters, and the impoundment of many sections of rivers within the Apalachicola River system has been a cause of its decline in some areas. It has been found in both clear and turbid waters, in sluggish to moderate velocity currents, and over sand, silt, gravel, rock rubble and bedrock. Status: Although its abundance has been reduced elsewhere, primarily by impoundments, it is in no immediate danger of extinction in Florida. Preservation of high quality habitat, such as the Chipola River, will be the key to maintaining viable populations in Florida. Fishery: Suckers are good food fish, and may be harvested by gigging, nets, or portable impoundments where legal. Before attempting to use these methods, you should carefully check the current fishing regulations of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as much of the range of this species in Florida (Chipola River) is closed to these techniques. For the "Sucker Fish Regulations" Brochure click here. | Index By Common Name Airbreathing catfish  
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