Coldwater Darter: Facts & Habitat

About Coldwater Darter

The coldwater darter (Etheostoma ditrema) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the United States, where it occurs in the Coosa River system of Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee.

NativeFresh3 states

Description

The coldwater darter has a dark brown back which is mottled and has nine saddle-like blotches which vary in resolution. The flanks have irregular brown mottling, and some individuals show darker centers which create horizontal lines, There are three spots arranged one on top of the other at the base of the caudal fin and there is usually a dark bar below the eye. The dorsal and caudal fins are marked with dark spots on their rays, and these vary in extent on the rays of the remaining fins In breeding males, the color of the belly changes to scarlet and reddish spots develop on the flanks. The spiny part of the dorsal fin has a bluish ban on the margin and in the middle with red bands alternating with these. The soft-rayed portion of the dorsal fin is transparent but may show a slight bluish tinge and it has a row of reddish spots along the centre and the base. The anal fin is bluish with a scattering of black and reddish spots along its base. The red and blue colours of the males are intensified during the spawning season. The coldwater darter can reach a length of 5.4 cm (2.1 in), though most only reach about 3 cm (1.2 in).

Distribution

The coldwater darter is endemic to the Coosa River drainage covering the Ridge and Valley Province above the Fall Line in northeastern Alabama, northwestern Georgia, and the extreme southeast of Tennessee.

Habitat and ecology

The coldwater darter is restricted to pools and streams that are fed by springs and they are usually found among underwater vegetation in water less than a meter deep. Aquatic moss, watercress, and milfoil are common habitats for the coldwater darter, as they perch on the clumps of vegetation.

Taxonomy

The coldwater darter was first formally described in 1965 by John S. Ramsey and Royal Dallas Suttkus with the type locality given as a tributary of Mills Creek which is a tributary of the Chattooga River, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) west of Lyerly, Georgia. It is regarded as a member of the subgenus Oligocephalus and it is thought that its closest relative is the Gulf darter (E. swaini). There is also some evidence that this is a species complex and it may be split into two or more species in future.

Article text: Wikipedia contributors, Coldwater darter (source revision). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Diet and feeding

The FishTraits compilation records these diet categories for this species: invertebrates or larval fish. These are broad categories, not a claim that every individual consumes every example in a category.

Reported feeding positions include bottom feeding. The compilation combines published observations; diets can vary with age, locality, and available food.

Habitat preferences

Reported habitat associations include springs or subterranean waters.

The source records associations with vegetation, organic debris. An association indicates reported use, rather than an exclusive requirement.

Reproduction and parental care

The compilation reports a representative maturity age of 1 years. Its maturity field summarizes mean, median, or modal estimates, usually for females; male estimates can be used when female data are unavailable. It is not a fixed age at which every fish first breeds.

Batch or serial spawning has been reported somewhere in the species’ range. This does not establish the same spawning pattern for every population.

Recorded spawning months are Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep for the source’s reporting region (TN). This is a regional calendar, not a range-wide schedule.

The reproductive-guild classification includes spawning on open substrates without guarding the brood.

Size and recorded longevity

FishTraits reports a maximum total length of 5.2 centimetres. Some entries use an estimated asymptotic length; this value should not be treated as a certified record catch.

Recorded longevity in the compilation is 2 years. Wild observations were preferred, but captive records were accepted where wild records were unavailable, and unspecified records were assumed wild. The value is not a guaranteed wild lifespan or an aquarium life expectancy.

Range

Where it lives

64.3%of mapped records

Share of 199 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 3 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water: WoRMS records this species in fresh water.
Migration: Undetermined

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Class: Teleostei
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Etheostoma
Species: Etheostoma ditrema
ITIS TSN: 168388
WoRMS AphiaID: 1383593
GBIF key: 2382218

Common questions about Coldwater Darter

What is the scientific name of Coldwater Darter?

The scientific name is Etheostoma ditrema, in the family Percidae. Classification follows ITIS.

Does Coldwater Darter live in fresh water or salt water?

WoRMS records this species in fresh water.

Where has Coldwater Darter been recorded in the United States?

GBIF has observations in 3 states, with the most records in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives