Locations
Fish species in Illinois
229 species have two or more US observation records in Illinois. Explore their habitats, families, and local records.
229 species have two or more US observation records in Illinois. ITIS calls 94 of them native to the United States, 124 native to part of the country and introduced elsewhere, and 11 introduced.
- Species
- 229
- Freshwater
- 227
- Saltwater
- 23
- Survey list
- 106
0
1state
Two counts, two questions. 229 is the number of species observed in Illinois and filed with GBIF, which includes lakes, the coast, and museum records. 106 is the number the USGS stream survey caught, which samples flowing fresh water only. Neither is the other, so the site never adds them.
The statute
The official state fish of Illinois
A state fish is a statute, not a survey. It says which fish the legislature chose, not which fish is most common. The list above links each row to the state's own record.
Most recorded
The fish of Illinois
The species with the most observation records in the state. It is the closest the open data comes to naming the fish people meet.
Bluntnose Minnow5,135 records
Pimephales notatusLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Bluegill4,322 records
Lepomis macrochirusCentrarchidaeNative and introducedFresh
Green Sunfish4,020 records
Lepomis cyanellusCentrarchidaeNative and introducedFresh
Creek Chub3,554 records
Semotilus atromaculatusLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Central Stoneroller3,181 records
Campostoma anomalumLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Johnny Darter2,993 records
Etheostoma nigrumPercidaeNative and introducedFresh
Sand Shiner2,815 records
Notropis stramineusLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Spotfin Shiner2,692 records
Cyprinella spilopteraLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Blackstripe Topminnow2,623 records
Fundulus notatusFundulidaeNativeFresh
White Sucker2,474 records
Catostomus commersoniiCatostomidaeNative and introducedFreshBrackish
Red Shiner2,395 records
Cyprinella lutrensisLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Largemouth Bass2,214 records
Micropterus salmoidesCentrarchidaeNative and introducedFresh
Groups
Types of fish in Illinois
Species
All 229 species, A–Z
A
- Alabama Shad Alosa alabamae
- Alaskan Stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus
- Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus
- Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula
- Amazon Sailfin Catfish Pterygoplichthys pardalis
- American Brook Lamprey Lethenteron appendix
- American Eel Anguilla rostrata
- American Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum
- American Paddlefish Polyodon spathula
B
- Banded Darter Etheostoma zonale
- Banded Killifish Fundulus diaphanus
- Banded Pygmy Sunfish Elassoma zonatum
- Banded Sculpin Cottus carolinae
- Bantam Sunfish Lepomis symmetricus
- Bigeye Chub Hybopsis amblops
- Bigeye Shiner Notropis boops
- Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis
- Bigmouth Buffalo Ictiobus cyprinellus
- Bigmouth Shiner Notropis dorsalis
- Black Buffalo Ictiobus niger
- Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
- Black Mullet Mugil cephalus
- Blackchin Shiner Notropis heterodon
- Blackfin Cisco Coregonus nigripinnis
- Blacknose Shiner Notropis heterolepis
- Blackside Darter Percina maculata
- Blackspotted Topminnow Fundulus olivaceus
- Blackstripe Topminnow Fundulus notatus
- Blacktail Shiner Cyprinella venusta
- Bleeding Shiner Luxilus zonatus
- Bloater Coregonus hoyi
- Blotchside Logperch Percina burtoni
- Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus
- Blue Sucker Cycleptus elongatus
- Bluebreast Darter Nothonotus camurus
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
- Bluehead Shiner Pteronotropis hubbsi
- Blueside Darter Etheostoma jessiae
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus
- Bowfin Amia calva
- Brassy Minnow Hybognathus hankinsoni
- Brindled Madtom Noturus miurus
- Brook Silverside Labidesthes sicculus
- Brook Stickleback Culaea inconstans
- Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis
- Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus
- Brown Trout Salmo trutta
- Bullhead Minnow Pimephales vigilax
- Burbot Lota lota
C
- Carmine Shiner Notropis percobromus
- Central Mudminnow Umbra limi
- Central Stoneroller Campostoma anomalum
- Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus
- Channel Shiner Notropis wickliffi
- Chestnut Lamprey Ichthyomyzon castaneus
- Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
- Cisco Coregonus artedi
- Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch
- Common Carp Cyprinus carpio
- Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus
- Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus
- Creek Chubsucker Erimyzon oblongus
- Crystal Darter Crystallaria asprella
- Cypress Darter Etheostoma proeliare
- Cypress Minnow Hybognathus hayi
D
E
F
- Fallfish Semotilus corporalis
- Fantail Darter Etheostoma flabellare
- Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas
- Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris
- Flathead Chub Platygobio gracilis
- Flier Centrarchus macropterus
- Freckled Madtom Noturus nocturnus
- Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniens
- Fringed Darter Etheostoma crossopterum
G
- Ghost Shiner Notropis buchanani
- Golden Redhorse Moxostoma erythrurum
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas
- Goldeye Hiodon alosoides
- Goldfish Carassius auratus
- Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella
- Grass Pickerel Esox americanus
- Gravel Chub Erimystax x-punctatus
- Greater Redhorse Moxostoma valenciennesi
- Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus
- Greenside Darter Etheostoma blennioides
H
I
J
L
- Lake Chub Couesius plumbeus
- Lake Chubsucker Erimyzon sucetta
- Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens
- Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush
- Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides
- Largescale Stoneroller Campostoma oligolepis
- Least Brook Lamprey Lampetra aepyptera
- Least Darter Etheostoma microperca
- Logperch Percina caprodes
- Longear Sunfish Lepomis megalotis
- Longnose Dace Rhinichthys cataractae
- Longnose Gar Lepisosteus osseus
- Longnose Sucker Catostomus catostomus
M
N
- Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus
- Ninespine Stickleback Pungitius pungitius
- Northern Brook Lamprey Ichthyomyzon fossor
- Northern Hog Sucker Hypentelium nigricans
- Northern Madtom Noturus stigmosus
- Northern Pike Esox lucius
- Northern Starhead Topminnow Fundulus dispar
- Northern Studfish Fundulus catenatus
- Northern Sunfish Lepomis peltastes
O
P
Q
R
- Rainbow Darter Etheostoma caeruleum
- Rainbow Smelt Osmerus mordax
- Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Red Shiner Cyprinella lutrensis
- Redear Sunfish Lepomis microlophus
- Redfin Shiner Lythrurus umbratilis
- Redspotted Sunfish Lepomis miniatus
- Ribbon Shiner Lythrurus fumeus
- River Carpsucker Carpiodes carpio
- River Chub Nocomis micropogon
- River Darter Percina shumardi
- River Redhorse Moxostoma carinatum
- River Shiner Notropis blennius
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris
- Rosefin Shiner Lythrurus ardens
- Rosyface Shiner Notropis rubellus
- Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus
- Round Whitefish Prosopium cylindraceum
S
- Sailfin Molly Poecilia latipinna
- Sand Shiner Notropis stramineus
- Sauger Sander canadensis
- Scarlet Shiner Lythrurus fasciolaris
- Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus
- Shoal Chub Macrhybopsis hyostoma
- Shorthead Redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum
- Shortnose Gar Lepisosteus platostomus
- Shovelnose Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus
- Sicklefin Chub Macrhybopsis meeki
- Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
- Silver Chub Macrhybopsis storeriana
- Silver Lamprey Ichthyomyzon unicuspis
- Silver Redhorse Moxostoma anisurum
- Silver Shiner Notropis photogenis
- Silverband Shiner Notropis shumardi
- Silverjaw Minnow Ericymba buccata
- Skipjack Shad Alosa chrysochloris
- Slender Madtom Noturus exilis
- Slenderhead Darter Percina phoxocephala
- Slimy Sculpin Cottus cognatus
- Slough Darter Etheostoma gracile
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu
- Smallmouth Buffalo Ictiobus bubalus
- Smallmouth Redhorse Moxostoma breviceps
- Southern Redbelly Dace Chrosomus erythrogaster
- Speckled Chub Macrhybopsis aestivalis
- Spoonhead Sculpin Cottus ricei
- Spotfin Shiner Cyprinella spiloptera
- Spottail Darter Etheostoma squamiceps
- Spottail Shiner Notropis hudsonius
- Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus
- Spotted Darter Nothonotus maculatus
- Spotted Gar Lepisosteus oculatus
- Spotted Sucker Minytrema melanops
- Spotted Sunfish Lepomis punctatus
- Spring Cavefish Forbesichthys agassizii
- Steelcolor Shiner Cyprinella whipplei
- Stonecat Noturus flavus
- Streamline Chub Erimystax dissimilis
- Striped Bass Morone saxatilis
- Striped Shiner Luxilus chrysocephalus
- Stripetail Darter Etheostoma kennicotti
- Sturgeon Chub Macrhybopsis gelida
- Suckermouth Minnow Phenacobius mirabilis
T
W
- Walleye Sander vitreus
- Warmouth Lepomis gulosus
- Weed Shiner Notropis texanus
- Western Blacknose Dace Rhinichthys obtusus
- Western Creek Chubsucker Erimyzon claviformis
- Western Sand Darter Ammocrypta clara
- Western Silvery Minnow Hybognathus argyritis
- White Bass Morone chrysops
- White Bullhead Ameiurus catus
- White Crappie Pomoxis annularis
- White Perch Morone americana
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii
Y
One record only
16 more with a single record
One observation can be a stray, an aquarium release, or a mis-keyed locality, so these are kept out of the count above and listed here instead. The first 16 are shown.
Asian Swamp Eel7 states
Monopterus albusSynbranchidaeIntroducedFreshSaltBrackish
Atlantic Needlefish23 states
Strongylura marinaBelonidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Atlantic Salmon26 states
Salmo salarSalmonidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
Brighteye Darter6 states
Etheostoma lynceumPercidaeNativeFresh
Guppy15 states
Poecilia reticulataPoeciliidaeIntroducedFreshBrackish
Margined Madtom21 states
Noturus insignisIctaluridaeNative and introducedFresh
Monopterus javanensis7 states
SynbranchidaeIntroducedFreshSaltBrackish
Northern Redbelly Dace18 states
Chrosomus eosLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Northern Snakehead15 states
Channa argusChannidaeIntroducedFresh
Oscar17 states
Astronotus ocellatusCichlidaeIntroducedFresh
Plains Darter13 states
Etheostoma pulchellumPercidaeNative
Rainwater Killifish20 states
Lucania parvaFundulidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
Redside Dace16 states
Clinostomus elongatusLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Shadow Bass11 states
Ambloplites ariommusCentrarchidaeNativeFresh
Speckled Darter14 states
Etheostoma stigmaeumPercidaeNativeFresh
Stripeback Darter10 states
Percina notogrammaPercidaeNativeFresh
Nearby