The weed shiner is a small minnow with a black lateral band.It also possesses a bluntly rounded snout and dark pigmentation on the posterior portion of the anal fin.It occurs in freshwater streams and rivers of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and throughout the Gulf of Mexico Basin.It primarily occurs in slow to moderately flowing portions of small to medium sized streams.Weed shiners typically live for three years, occasionally surviving for four years.
The smallmouth buffalo is a member of the family Catostomidae, a group collectively known as the suckers.Typically, suckers occupy the bottom portions of aquatic systems using their fleshy lips to suction invertebrates from the bottom sediments.Smallmouth buffalo can obtain weights of greater than 50 pounds and lengths up to 3 feet.The sides and dorsal portion of the body tend to be black to dark gray in color; whereas, the ventral portion is typically lighter in coloration.Smallmouth buffalo are most similar in appearance to common carp and freshwater drum, species that also occur in the basin.They are common in larger rivers in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and also occur in Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain.
The blacktail redhorse is a common species that primarily occurs in rivers and streams in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.It most often occurs in clear flowing water habitats over sand and gravel substrates but can survive in lake or reservoir habitats.It lives on the bottom, and like other suckers, it suction feeds invertebrates from the bottom sediments. The blacktail redhorse is easily identified by the area of black pigment on the lower portion of the caudal fin, as well as its thick fleshy lips that are used for suction feeding.
The blue catfish is an extremely common species in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and is particularly abundant in Lake Maurepas. Blue catfish primarily occupy freshwater habitats, but are tolerant of saline environments.They occur in a wide-range of habitats including large rivers and reservoirs, to backwater and estuarine habitats.They eat an array of resources including other fish, as well as shrimp and crabs.Easily identified by the presence of chin barbels, fin spines, and the lack of scales,blue catfish can be distinguished from other catfish in the basin by a blueish coloration of the body in adults, the lack of spots covering the body (as seen in channel catfish), and a straight-edged anal fin.Record catfish of greater than 100 pounds have been caught on hook and line, and there are unconfirmed reports of blue catfish weighing more than 150 pounds.
The brindled madtom is a diminutive catfish closely related to the blue catfish. It is a member of the genus Noturus, a group that includes approximately 25 species.Most madtom catfishes are small in size reaching maximum lengths of less than 10 inches. Brindles madtoms possess multiple dorsal saddles, as well as a distinct black area of pigment on their dorsal fins, which distinguish them from many other species of catfish that occur in the basin.Madtoms, in general, are known for toxicity in their dorsal and pectoral fin spines, which they use as anti-predator devices. Brindled madtoms are common in sandy bottomed streams in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, most often occurring in slowing flowing stream reaches.