Iowa Fish Atlas

Native: Yes

State Rank: S5

ITIS Code: 163517          

National Rank: N5           

Global Rank: G5

Modeled By: Anna Loan-Wilsey

State Range:

The fathead minnow is considered the most widespread and abundant fish species in Iowa.  It is found in every watershed in the state.  The fathead minnow is common in nearly all fish collections from streams, natural lakes and man-made impoundments and reservoirs (Harlan et al. 1987).  It is found throughout both the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

Habitat Affinities:

The fathead minnow can be found in streams of various sizes but is most abundant in sluggish, intermittent streams, ditches and ponds with soft, silty mud or firm clay substrates (Cross and Collins 1995; Pflieger 1997; Robison and Buchanan 1988) or backwaters and muck-bottomed pools of larger rivers (Smith 1979). It is intolerant of competition and predation (Becker 1983) but uniquely adapted to stagnant pools, acid bog-ponds, and alkaline streams where extremes in pH, low oxygen levels, high turbidity, and high temperatures decrease fish diversity (Pflieger 1971; Phillips et al. 1982; Trautman 1981). In parts of Missouri,  it is found along floodplains in shallow, silty sloughs. During extended dry periods it seeks refuge in stagnant pools of small Plains streams (Pflieger 1997).  It is usually abundant in areas where the bluntnose minnow is absent (Smith 1979)

Predictive Model(s):

Statewide Model: by 8-digit HU [Decision Tree Analysis n=1552]

The distribution is based upon existing collection records.

((("MINELEVR" > 1 AND "MINELEVR" <= 2) AND "SUBREGION_" <= 1) OR

(("MINELEVR" > 1 AND "MINELEVR" <= 2) AND "SUBREGION_" > 1 AND

("GRADSEGR" > 2 AND "GRADSEGR" <= 5)) OR

(( "MINELEVR" > 2 AND "MINELEVR" <= 3) AND "SUBREGION_" <= 1 AND

"STRAHLER" <= 4 AND "DSIZE_CODE" <= 4) OR

( ("MINELEVR" > 2 AND "MINELEVR" <= 3) AND "SUBREGION_" <= 1 AND

"STRAHLER" > 4) OR

(("MINELEVR" > 2 AND "MINELEVR" <= 3) AND "SUBREGION_" > 1) OR

 "MINELEVR" > 3)

Mississippi River Model:

The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.

("pool" >= 'S08' AND "pool" <= 'S20')

Missouri River Model

The distribution is based upon existing collection records nd professional review.

 ("pool" >= 'O17' AND "pool" <= 'O19')

Overall Prediction

((("MINELEVR" > 1 AND "MINELEVR" <= 2) AND "SUBREGION_" <= 1) OR

(("MINELEVR" > 1 AND "MINELEVR" <= 2) AND "SUBREGION_" > 1 AND

("GRADSEGR" > 2 AND "GRADSEGR" <= 5)) OR

(( "MINELEVR" > 2 AND "MINELEVR" <= 3) AND "SUBREGION_" <= 1 AND

"STRAHLER" <= 4 AND "DSIZE_CODE" <= 4) OR

( ("MINELEVR" > 2 AND "MINELEVR" <= 3) AND "SUBREGION_" <= 1 AND

"STRAHLER" > 4) OR

(("MINELEVR" > 2 AND "MINELEVR" <= 3) AND "SUBREGION_" > 1) OR

 "MINELEVR" > 3)

OR ("pool" >= 'S08' AND "pool" <= 'S20') OR ("pool" >= 'O17' AND "pool" <= 'O19')

Literature Cited:

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Pflieger, W.L.  1971.  A distributional study of Missouri fishes.  University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History  20(3):225-570.

Pflieger, W.L.  1997.  The fishes of Missouri.  Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, Missouri.  372 pp.

Phillips, G.L., W.D. Schmid, and J.C. Underhill.  1982.  Fishes of the Minnesota region.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  248 pp.

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Smith, P.W.  1979.  The fishes of Illinois.  University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Illinois.  314 pp.

Trautman, M.B.  1981.  The fishes of Ohio.  Revised Edition.  Ohio State University Press in collaboration with the Ohio Sea Grant Program Center for Lake Erie Area Research,  Columbus, Ohio.  782 pp.

Data Sources:

Ackerman, G.L.  1964.  Yellow River survey.  Unpublished report.  Iowa Conservation

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Arthur, J.W., T. Roush, J.A. Thompson, C.T. Waltbridge, and F.A. Puglisi. 1997. 

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1986.  Aquatic biota associated with channel stabilization structures and abandoned channels in the middle Missouri River. Final Report.  Environmental and water quality operational studies.  Technical Report E-86-6, Department of the Army, US Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C.

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Berry, C.R., D.L. Galat, and M.L. Wildhaber.  2004.  Fish distribution and abundance. 

Volume 3.  Population structure and habitat use of benthic fishes along the Missouri and lower Yellowstone rivers.  U.S. Geological Survey, Cooperative Units, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota.

Black Hawk Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northwest

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Chariton Fish Research Station.  2003.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Southeast

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Christianson, J,. and L. Jindrich.  1983.  Big Sioux fishery investigation. South Dakota

Department of Game, Fish and Parks, Pierre, South Dakota.

Clear Lake Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northwest

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Clear Lake, Iowa.

Cold Springs Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Southwest

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Lewis, Iowa.

Coon, D.M.  1971.  A fisheries survey of the upper Skunk River, Iowa.  Master’s thesis. 

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Lake Darling Fish Management.  2002.  Fish kill data.  Southeast Management District,

Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Brighton, Iowa.     

Lake MacBride Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports. 

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Additional References:

Brungs, W.A.  1971.  Chronic effects of low dissolved oxygen concentrations on the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).  Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 28(8):1119-1123.

Carlson, D.R.  1967.  Fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas Rafinesque, in the Des Moines River, Boone County, Iowa, and the Skunk River Drainage, Hamilton and Storey Counties, Iowa.  Iowa State Journal of Science 41(3):363-364.

Clay, W.M.  1975.  The fishes of Kentucky.  Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Frankfort, Kentucky.  416 pp.

Cross, F.B.  1967.  Handbook of fishes of Kansas.  University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Miscellaneous Publication  No. 45, Lawrence, Kansas.  357 pp.

Douglas, N.H.  1974.  Freshwater fishes of Louisiana.  Claitor’s Publishing Division, Sponsored by Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  443 pp.

Eddy, S., and J.C. Underhill.  1974.  Northern fishes; with special reference to the upper Mississippi Valley.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  414 pp.

Etnier, D.A., and W.E. Starnes.  1993.  The fishes of Tennessee.  University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee.  681 pp.

Gelwicks, G.T.  1995.  Fish movement between the lower Missouri River and a managed floodplain wetland in Missouri.  Master’s thesis. University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. 190 pp.

Isaak, D.  1961.  The ecological life history of the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas (Rafinesque). Ph.D. dissertation, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minnesota.

Kelly, G., editor.  1986.  Animal habitat relations handbook.  Missouri Department of Conservation and U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Jefferson City, Missouri.  293 pp.

Lee, D.S., C.R. Gilbert, C.H. Hocutt, R.E. Jenkins, D.E. McAllister, and J.R. Stauffer, Jr.  1980.  Atlas of North American freshwater fishes.  North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina.  867 pp.

Li, Y., and J.R. Gold.  1991.  Cytogenetic studies in North American minnows (Cyprinidae): XXII. Chromosomal nucleolar organizer regions in the genus Pimephales.  Canadian Journal of Zoology 69:2826-2830.

Loomis, T.M.  1997.  Survey of the fishes and habitat in the upper Moreau River, Perkins County, South Dakota.  Master’s thesis, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota.  120 pp.

Markus, H.C.  1934.  Life history of the blackhead minnow (Pimephales promelas).  Copeia 1934(3):116-122.

Mizzi, J.A.  1994.  Zooplankton, macroinvertebrate, herptile, and ichthyofaunal biodiversity of riverine habitat on the upper Missouri River.  Master’s thesis, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota.  130 pp.

Page, L.M., and B.M. Burr.  1991.  A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico.  Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.

Pflieger, W.L.  1989a.  Aquatic community classification system for Missouri.  Missouri Department of Conservation.  Jefferson City, Missouri.  Aquatic Series No. 19. 70 pp. plus Supplement.

Pflieger, W.L.  1989b.  The stream resources of Missouri.  D-J Project - F-1-R-28.  Study S-20.  Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri.  

Pinder, M.J., and R.P. Morgan III.  1995.  Interactions of pH and habitat on cyprinid distributions in Appalachian streams of Maryland.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 124:94-102.

Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott.  1991.  Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada.  American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20, Bethesda, Maryland. 183 pp.

Scott, W.B., and E. J. Crossman.  1973.  Freshwater fishes of Canada.  Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 184, Ottawa, Canada.  966 pp.

Smale, M.A., and C. F. Rabeni.  1995.  Hypoxia and hyperthermia tolerances of headwater stream fishes. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society  124:698-710.

Starrett, W.C.  1951.  Some factors affecting the abundance of minnows in the Des Moines River, Iowa.  Ecology 32(1):13-27.

Sublette, J.E., M.D Hatch, and M. Sublette.  1990.  The fishes of New Mexico.  University New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.  393 pp.

Thom, R.H., and J.H. Wilson.  1980.  The natural divisions of Missouri.  Transactions of the Missouri Academy of Science  14:9-24.

Photo Credits:

Upper Left:       Photo courtesy of Konrad P. Schmidt, copyright Konrad P. Schmidt.

Upper Right:     Photo courtesy of Konrad P. Schmidt, copyright Konrad P. Schmidt.