Emerald Shiner
(Notropis atherinoides)
Emerald shiners are commercially harvested in Lake Erie and sold as bait for fishing. They are very abundant in both Lake Erie and the Ohio River where they are important forage for sport fish.
Description
Emerald shiners are small, slender fish with a terminal (enting at tip of snout) mouth and rounded snout. They are laterally compressed, which means they are taller than they are wide. The very similar silver shiner is not laterally compressed, has two dark crescents between the nostrils, and has a larger eye. The back is silvery with an emerald green or steel blue hue. Their sides are a shiny silver color and can also have a emerald green hue. All of the emerald shiners fins are transparent or white with no spots or any other markings on them.
Habitat and Habits
In Ohio the emerald shiner is found in the Ohio River and Lake Erie and in some of the largest tributary streams to both of these water bodies. They can also be found near the mouth of smaller streams that feed these large ones. They are usually found in open water and stay near the surface. They do not appear to have any preference for a particular type of substrate, and do not appear to use the substrate in any way. They also seem to avoid areas with dense vegetation.
Reproduction and Care of the Young
Emerald shiners are broadcast spawners, which means, they scatter their eggs and give no parental care. They spawn in open water and do not appear to use any particular substrate type for spawning.