The Harpeth River is home to over 86 fish species! Every fish species, no matter how big or small, plays an important role in the river ecosystem. Unfortunately, some fish are are threatened or endangered, meaning they are at risk of extinction. The list below includes all fish found thus far in the Harpeth River. Of these, 84 are native species and 2 are non-native. Next time you are out on the Harpeth, keep these critters in mind as they might be enjoying the river alongside you! You can also check out TWRA’s Angler’s Guide to Tennessee Fish!
Fish Species Documented in the Harpeth River Watershed
Common Name – Scientific Name
- Banded Darter – Etheostoma zonale
- Banded Sculpin – Cottus carolinae
- Bigeye Chub – Hybopsis amblops
- Bigeye Shiner – Notropis boops
- Bigmouth Buffalo – Ictiobus cyprinellus
- Black Bullhead – Ameiurus melas
- Black Crappie – Pomoxis nigromaculatus
- Black Redhorse – Moxostoma duquesnei
- Blacknose Dace – Rhinichthys atratulus
- Blackside Snubnose Darter – Etheostoma duryi
- Blackspotted Topminnow – Fundulus olivaceus
- Blotched Chub – Erimystax insignis
- Blotched Sided Logperch – Percina burtoni
- Bluegill – Lepomis macrochirus
- Bluntnose Minnow – Pimephales notatus
- Brindle Madtom – Noturus miurus
- Brook Silverside – Labidesthes sicculus
- Bullhead Minnow – Pimephales vigilax
- Carp (non-native)
- Central Stoneroller – Campostoma anomalum
- Channel Catfish – Ictalurus punctatus
- Creek Chub – Semotilus atromaculatus
- Dusky Darter – Percina sciera
- Fantail Darter – Etheostoma flabellare
- Flathead Catfish – Pylodictis olivaris
- Flathead Minnow – Pimephales promelas
- Freshwater Drum – Aplodinotus grunniens
- Fringed Darter – Etheostoma crossopterum
- Gizzard Shad – Dorosoma cepedianum
- Golden Redhorse – Moxostoma erythrurum
- Green Sunfish – Lepomis cyanellus
- Greenside Darter – Etheostoma blennioides
- Largemouth Bass – Micropterus salmoides
- Largescale Stoneroller – Campostoma oligolepis
- Logperch – Percina caprodes
- Longear Sunfish – Lepomis megalotis
- Longnose Gar – Lepisosteus osseus
- Mountain Madtom – Noturus eleutherus
- Northern Hogsucker – Hypentelium nigricans
- Northern Studfish – Fundulus catenatus
- Orangefin Chub – Nocomis effusus
- Orangethroat Darter – Etheostoma spectabile
- Quillback – Carpiodes cyprinus
- Rainbow Darter – Etheostoma caeruleum
- Redbreast Sunfish – Lepomis auritus
- Redear Sunfish – Lepomis microlophus
- Redhorse Spp. – Moxostoma
- Redline Darter – Etheostoma rufilineatum
- Redtail Chub – Nocomis effuses
- River Redhorse – Moxostoma carinatum
- Rock Bass – Ambloplites rupestris
- Rosefin Shiner – Lythrurus ardens
- Rosyface Shiner – Notropis rubellus
- Rosyside Dace – Clinostomus funduloides
- Saffron Darter – Etheostoma flavum
- Sawfin Shiner – Notropis serrulatu
- Scarlet Shiner – Lythrurus fasciolaris
- Shorthead Redhorse – Moxostoma macrolepidotum
- Silver Shiner – Notropis photogenis
- Slender Madtom – Noturus exilis
- Slenderhead Darter – Percina phoxocephala
- Smallmouth Bass – Micropterus dolomieu
- Smallmouth Buffalo – Ictiobus bubalus
- Smallscale or Finescale Darter – Etheostoma microlepidum
- Snubnose Darter – Etheostoma stigmaeum
- Southern Redbelly Dace – Phoxinus erythrogaster
- Speckled Darter – Etheostoma virgatum
- Spotfin Shiner – Cyprinella spiloptera
- Spotted Bass – Micropterus punctulatus
- Spotted Gar – Lepisosteus oculatus
- Spotted Sucker – Minytrema melanops
- Steelcolor Shiner – Cyprinella whipplei
- Stonecat – Noturus flavus
- Stone Darter – Etheostoma derivativum
- Steamline Chub – Erimystax dissimilis
- Striped Darter – Etheostoma virgatum
- Striped Shiner – Luxilus crysocephalus
- Telescope Shiner – Notropis telescopus
- Tennessee Shiner – Nortropis leuciodus
- Tippecanoe Darter – Etheostoma tippecanoe
- Warmouth – Lepomis gulosus
- Western Mosquitofish (non-native)
- Westrim Darter – Etheostoma occidentale
- White Sucker – Catostomus commersonii
- Whitetail Shiner – Cyprinella galactura
- Yellow Bullhead – Ameiurus natalis