The Sacramento blackfish, Orthodon microlepidotus, is a cyprinid fish of central California.
Spawning beds are usually found in areas of thick vegetation and shallow water. Adults can live on a diet of primarily organic matter and algae. Sacramento blackfish are native to the Sacramento and San Joaquin drainages as well as to Clear Lake. These fish however are found in other various streams and reservoirs in California, and have extended into parts of Nevada. In those days, almost 40 years ago, the predominant fish were Sacramento blackfish (Orthodon microlepidotus). Middle Kern-Upper Tehachapi-Grapevine Watershed, Middle San Joaquin-Lower Chowchilla Watershed, Middle San Joaquin-Lower Merced-Lower Stanislaus Watershed, Sacramento-Lower Cow-Lower Clear Watershed, Size rarely exceeds 50 cm SL and 1.5 kg, male/female growth may differ, Round elongated body, long narrow caudal peduncle, tiny scales: (90-105) laterally, Cone shaped head with flat sloping forehead, small eyes, Terminal mouth with thin lips, slightly upturned, Dorsal fin origin in front of pelvic fin origin, Adults light to dark gray, with olive sheen, progressively darker with size, Males may grow breeding tubercles and develop darker coloration during breeding season, Fin rays: dorsal 9-11, anal 9-11, pelvic 10, Sacramento blackfish are native to the Sacramento and San Joaquin drainages as well as to Clear Lake.

Sacramento blackfish (Orthodon microlepidotus). Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. Juvenile fish may school along lake shores where prey is abundant. The forehead has a straight-line profile, the eyes are smallish, and the terminal mouth slants upwards. The scales are unusually small, counting 90-114 along the lateral line. Younger fish pick at food items individually, while adults work by pumping large amounts of water through the oral cavity; the food bits are caught in a patch of mucus on the roof of the mouth, where it is secreted by a special organ, and then the fish swallows mucus and food together. Younger individuals are more silvery, but darken as they age. A population is present in the Russian River, although they may have been introduced. The Sacramento blackfish (Orthodon microlepidotus) is a cyprinid fish of central California. As Sacramento blackfish grow they become increasingly reliant upon pumping suspended material into their mouths, using their gill rakers as a filter, and trapping food in mucous in the roof of their mouth.

They are also common in Clear Lake, Pajaro River, Salinas River, the small creeks that feed into San Francisco Bay. Some of my earliest memories are of visiting Oakland Chinatown, where there were always tanks and tanks of live fish.

More.

The eggs will cling to the local substrate till the larvae emerge and begin foraging in the same region. Spawning generally occurs in spring but may happen anytime between March and July when water temperatures are in the range of 12-24°C. Sacramento blackfish are of some commercial significance, and are sold live at many Asian fish markets in California. The scales are unusually small, counting 90-114 along the lateral line. A female of 171 mm FL may produce 14,700 eggs, while a female of 466 mm FL can produce some 346,500 eggs. They have shown a great ability to adapt to extreme environments including water temperatures exceeding 30°C and salinities in excess of 9 ppt.

(2016). The dorsal fin starts just behind the pelvic fins, and has 9-11 rays, while the anal fin has 8-9 rays, and the pelvic fins 10 rays.

The scales are unusually small, counting 90-114 along the lateral line. Sacramento blackfish prefer warm turbid waters in small to large streams, and often share habitat with an array of non-natives.


These fish however are found in other various streams and reservoirs in California, and have extended into parts of Nevada.

Alternate Species Name: Blackfish.

It is the sole member of its genus. The Sacramento Blackfish is native to the Sacramento-San Jaquine System and has an elongated (up to 18"), round, slightly compressed body. If a species occurs in any sub-watershed within the HUC, the species appears within the HUC. Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) PHONE: 559-281-1181  |  EMAIL: [email protected]  |  1972 Willow Creek Fisheries | O'neals, CA, 2020 Willow Creek Fisheries, Embedded video for See our fish in action. Sign … Scientific Name: Orthodon microlepidotus. More about this species: ... Sacramento Office 1001 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 423-7572 [email protected]. Younger individuals are more silvery, but darken as they age.

It's back is dark olive to dark gray with lighter sides (young blackfish are a more overall silver). The Sacramento blackfish, Orthodon microlepidotus, is a cyprinid fish of central California.

| ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa.

Sacramento blackfish prefer water temperatures in the range of 22-28°C.

Sacramento blackfish may become sexually mature in their first, second, third, or fourth years, depending upon their growth rate. The Sacramento blackfish, Orthodon microlepidotus, is a cyprinid fish of central California. Blackfish are distinctive for their overall dark color (thus the common name). Sacramento blackfish prefer warm turbid waters in small to large streams, and often share habitat with an array of non-natives.

These fish however are found in other various streams and reservoirs in California, and have extended into parts of Nevada. Please note, watersheds are at the USGS 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) scale, so they often include a lot of sub-watersheds. The pharyngeal teeth are long, straight, and knife-shaped; the dorsal part of each tooth has a narrow grinding surface.

The dorsal fin starts just behind the pelvic fins, and has 9-11 rays, while the anal fin has 8-9 rays, and the pelvic fins 10 rays.

Sacramento Blackfish; Sacramento Blackfish .

It is the sole member of its genus. They have shown a great ability to adapt to extreme environments including water temperatures exceeding 30°C and salinities in excess of 9, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, © 2020 Regents of the University of California. They also thrive in reservoirs, and have been spread to a number of California reservoirs via the California Aqueduct, and into Nevada via the Lahontan Reservoir (1964) where they have further colonized the Humboldt River drainage.

Blackfish are typically suspension feeders with a diet of planktonic algae and zooplankton, including copepods, insect larvae, rotifers, cladocerans, and detritus. The Sacramento blackfish (Orthodon microlepidotus) is a cyprinid fish of central California. Orthodon microlepidotus No image available for this species; drawing shows typical fish in this Family. A population is present in the Russian River, although they may have been introduced.

The forehead has a straight-line profile, the eyes are smallish, and the terminal mouth slants upwards. They also thrive in reservoirs, and have been spread to a number of California reservoirs via the California Aqueduct, and into Nevada via the Lahontan Reservoir (1964) where they have further colonized the Humboldt River drainage. The pharyngeal teeth are long, straight, and knife-shaped; the dorsal part of each tooth has a narrow grinding surface. Sacramento blackfish are native to the Sacramento and San Joaquin drainages as well as to Clear Lake. Blackfish are distinctive for their overall dark color (thus the common name).

Blackfish, like carp a member of the minnow family, are something of a rarity, a native California freshwater fish.

It is the sole member of its genus.

It is the sole member of its genus.

Young fish tend to feed in the water column or stream bottom on zooplankton and insects. Males tend to reach sexual maturity before the females, and the production of eggs in females seems to be directly related to body size. Blackfish are primarily denizens of the warm turbid waters found on the floor of the Central Valley, such as sloughs and oxbow lakes connected to the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. Blackfish are distinctive for their overall dark color (thus the common name). Specimens taken from the Truckee Meadow pond included hybrids, presumably between Orthodon and "Siphateles bicolor obesus" (La Rivers and Trelease 1952; La Rivers 1962) (the latter form now recognized as Gila bicolor obesa). Younger individuals are more silvery, but darken as they age. Blackfish are primarily denizens of the warm turbid waters found on the floor of the Central Valley, such as sloughs and oxbow lakes connected to the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers.