Fish Details

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Central Stoneroller

Characteristics

Body form varies from slender to moderately stout. They are slightly compressed laterally with an arch in the back. The horizontal mouth is sub-terminal and lacks a barbel. A cartilaginous and chisel-shaped lower jaw is a distinct characteristic of stonerollers. Slender arches support the slightly hooked pharyngeal teeth, which are arranged in a 4-4 pattern. The lateral line is complete, with 49 to 55 scales, and the circumferential scale counts (around the body frontal of the dorsal fin) range from 39 to 55. Dorsal and pelvic fins ray count are 8, while the pectoral fins have 15 rays and the anal fins 7 rays. The long intestine is usually wrapped around the air bladder, and it is covered by a black peritoneum. The body is brownish-olive with a brassy luster above and silvery to white beneath. Body sides are marked with scattered dark scales, giving the fish a mottled look. Spawning males develop a dark bar across the anal fin and have tubercles on their back, top of the head, and between the nostrils.

Distribution

Throughout Iowa, except for extreme southwest Iowa. It is found along the whole length of the Mississippi River. One of Iowa’s more abundant cyprinids, the Central Stoneroller is common in most stream fish collections.

Foods

Stonerollers feed by scraping the algae and bottom ooze from submerged objects.

State Record

State Records are not documented for non-game species.

Expert Tip

Spawning males develop a dark bar across the anal fin and have tubercles on their back, top of the head, and between the nostrils, as shown in the photo above.

Details

The Central Stoneroller lives in many habitats from very small streams to large rivers. Some researchers have found that the largest populations were found where a combination of habitats was available such as small streams with moderate to high gradients with sandy-gravel bottoms in which to spawn, moderate-sized streams with moderate gradients in which to summer, and larger streams of lower gradients in which to winter. In Iowa, the Central Stoneroller lives in small creeks, reaching its highest abundance in coolwater streams. The Central Stoneroller prefers clear water, but can tolerate turbidity if the bottom is free of silt, stays reasonably cool and is well oxygenated.

Spawning peaks during April, when males built nests by moving gravel with their mouths or nudging it away with their snouts, giving rise to their common name. Adults may reach 7-inches long.

Recent stream sampling information is available from Iowa DNR's biological monitoring and assessment program.

Sources:

Harlan, J.R., E.B. Speaker, and J. Mayhew. 1987. Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa. 323pp.

Loan-Wilsey, A. K., C. L. Pierce, K. L. Kane, P. D. Brown and R. L. McNeely. 2005. The Iowa Aquatic Gap Analysis Project Final Report. Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames.

Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Garold W. Sneegas, copyright Garold W. Sneegas

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Present in these Iowa water bodies:

Lake/Stream	County	Location	Acres/Length
East Nodaway River	Page		72.00
West Fork Grand River	Decatur		41.00
Yellow River	Allamakee	Coldwater section begins below Livingood Springs and east of Old Stage Road flowing through Allamakee County and the Effigy Mounds National Monument where it empties into the Mississippi River.	25.00
Bloody Run Creek	Clayton	Located 2 miles west of Marquette off of Highway 18.	6.50
East Pine Creek	Winneshiek	Stream located east of Bluffton.	5.80
Swiss Valley Creek	Dubuque	Located 3 miles south of Dubuque in Swiss Valley Park just off Swiss Valley Road.	3.25
Little Turkey River (put and grow)	Delaware	4 miles east of Colesburg off Hubbard Road	3.20
Coon Creek	Winneshiek	Located in Coon Creek Wildlife Management Area, 7 miles northeast of Decorah.	2.60
Wapsi River Trout Section	Mitchell	Located 0.5 mile west of McIntire.	2.50
McLoud Run	Linn	Along the east side of I-380 in central Cedar Rapids	2.50
Otter Creek	Fayette	Located 3 miles southeast of West Union.	2.50
Fountain Springs	Delaware	2.5 miles northeast of Greeley along Oak Road. Most of the fishery lies within Fountain Springs County Park	2.30
Spring Branch	Delaware	3 miles east-southeast of Manchester off 205th Avenue. Parking available near highway 20 overpass and Manchester Fish Hatchery	2.20
Trout Run (Winneshiek)	Winneshiek	Located on the south side of Decorah off Trout Run Road.	2.20
Upper Swiss Valley Creek	Dubuque	Located 3 miles south of Dubuque near Swiss Valley Nature Center, just off Swiss Valley Road	2.10
White Pine Hollow	Dubuque	This fishery is located primarily within White Pine Hollow State preserve, about 2 miles northwest of Luxemburg. Access to this fishery is difficult. A small parking area is available on the east side of the preserve. Best fishing is on the west side.	1.80
Buck Creek	Clayton	Located 3 miles northeast of Garnavillo.	1.70
Richmond Springs	Delaware	3 miles south of Strawberry Point. Located entirely within Backbone State Park. Closest to north park gate access.	1.40
Little Turkey River	Delaware	3 miles east of Colesburg in Hoffman Wildlife Management Area off Hubbard Road	1.20
Bear Creek	Fayette	Located 6 miles southeast of Fayette off of Kornhill Road or CR C24. Access from 128th Street.	1.20
Tete des Morts River	Jackson	Located near St. Donatus. T87N, R3E, S4	1.10
Mink Creek	Fayette	Located on private property 1.5 miles north of Wadena, access on Bighorn Road.	0.90
Twin Bridges	Delaware	Just south of Highway 3 about 5.5 miles west of Colesburg in Twin Bridges County Park.	0.90
Miners Creek	Clayton	Stream is located west of Guttenberg.	0.80
Spring Creek	Mitchell	Located on the west edge of Orchard.	0.80
Little Mill Creek	Jackson	Located on Little Mill Wildlife Management Area and private property 2 miles west of Bellevue, with parking south off 216th street.	0.70
Baileys Ford	Delaware	3 miles southeast of Manchester - follow signage from Jefferson Road.	0.60
tributaries to Tete des Morts River	Jackson	Located near St. Donatus. T87N, R3E, S16, 17, 23	0.60
Bigalk Creek	Howard	Located 7 miles northeast of Cresco.	0.60
Brush Creek	Jackson	Located 3.5 miles north of Andrew just south of 200th street. Only this "upper" section of Brush Creek is stocked. The "lower" section of Brush Creek is no longer stocked with trout and is closed to public fishing.	0.50
South Cedar Creek	Clayton	Located 2 miles south of Garnavillo and may be accessed from Jigsaw Road.	0.50
Bohemian Creek	Winneshiek	Located about 1.5 miles east of Protivin.	0.30
Monastery Creek	Dubuque	Monastery Creek can be accessed through the Dubuque County Swiss Valley Nature Preserve about 4 miles SW of Dubuque off of Swiss Valley Rd.	0.20