Orange Throated Darter

Description:

5 - 8 cm. member of the perch family. Males (like the one pictured) are colored a bright orange and blue. Females are less spectacular, but still have the orange on the edge of dorsal and caudal fins.

Habitat:

Widely spread throughout Oklahoma in cool, fast-moving streams and creeks with pristine water quality. Usually found below riffles in shallow, gravel beds.

Notes:

Diet consists of insect larvae, such as black fly and caddisfly larvae and bloodworms. They will also eat the eggs of other fish. These have proven easy to maintain in captivity.