Fish ID, should be easy - common in freshwater caverns in NW FL

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I see them all the time - just not sure what they are called. Thanks!

 

[Rick Murchison]

I see them all the time - just not sure what they are called. Thanks!

That's a crappie, I'm pretty sure, though at this angle the forehead doesn't look exactly right.
Rick

 

[fmw625]

Rick the forehead angle, the mouth, and color pattern don't seem to fit what we call crappie.

 

[hermosadive]

Black Crappie

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

No prob, I have more pictures, if you want more angles. I have pics of what I thought were crappy as well, but they don't seem to be the same(possibly another species in the same family?). The original pic was from Vortex.

Same kind of fish at Morrison

Same kind of fish at Cypress

All these pics were taken in caverns, quite often near restrictions in flow.

I can't seem to find my crappy pics but this guys is a bit different shape and doesnt' seem to get so big. I was thinking some kinda bass, but I really have no idea.

 

[archman]

Granted I only have Texas freshwater guides to refer to, but I'd tag that sucker as a rock bass. No, not THAT rock bass (Lepomis gulosus, aka "warmouth"), but the less common Ambloplites rupestris. Stupid common names.

Anyways, "rock bass" have that distinctive, oversized orange-red eyeball, and dark blotchy bodies with a general olive coloration. Sometimes they show banding. The "kicker" is to look at the scales and see if most all of 'em bear dark spots. Both the warmouth and black crappie (which both look very similar) have dark spots on some scales, but its not nearly so uniform.

I enjoy rock bass... see these things occasionally in the spring-fed waters in San Marcos, Texas (a lot like the Florida caving waters), but haven't gotten a good photo yet. I LOVE their Halloweeny eyeballs! Reminds me of the eyeballs on marine priacanthid fishes (bigeyes). Hmmm... I sound like a heathen.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I'm not sure where I heard it, but from where-ever, I heard the fish called Rock Bass - its actually evident in some of the file names. I just wasn't sure, so I figured it'd be a great opportunity to ask.

Thanks!

Just curious, but whats the other(I suppose more common?) Rock Bass look like?

 

[archman]

Just curious, but whats the other(I suppose more common?) Rock Bass look like?

Lepomis gulosus (warmouth) are the other "dirty-looking sunfish". Unlike A. rupestris, warmouth are more generic looking and tend to mix it up with other sunfish. This makes them harder to differentiate. However, their body is heavily mottled in brown/golden-brown shades, as opposed to the olive of A. rupestris. The eyes are largish, but not so crazy orange-red in colour. Best way to distinguish in murky water is to look for prominent dark lines (5) radiating from the head to opercular flap.That's where the name "warmouth" comes from... like Indian warpaint

Boys have a bright orange spot at the rear base of the dorsal fin.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Interesting - thanks alot.