Blackstripe Topminno

Blackstripe Topminnow (Fundulus notatus)

This is one of the more distinctive and easily observable of all the Ohio fishes. They are readily identified by their flattened triangular shaped heads and the prominent black lateral stripe which runs the length of their bodies.

They are surface feeders and as their name implies are frequently observed swimming in groups at the surface in pools and quiet backwaters.

They are restricted primarily to western Ohio where they favor the low gradient sections of streams characterized by relatively clear waters and submersed aquatic vegetation. They may also be found in lakes, ponds and canals in the western half of Ohio.

While some populations have been extirpated by pollution, siltation, and habitat modifications, the species as a whole has maintained its numerical abundance in Ohio. Recent surveys indicate some expansion of its range in Ohio particularly in the Portage River Basin.