# Creek Chub (*semotilus atromaculatus*) Creek chubs are fun, friendly fish that love to swim in cool, clear waters! They often gather in groups and can be spotted darting around in streams and rivers. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Snaps:** 24 - **Habitat:** Creek chubs live in freshwater streams, rivers, and ponds, often in areas with plenty of rocks and plants. - **Also known as:** Semotilus ![Creek Chub](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Creek_Chub%252C_Semotilus_atromaculatus.jpg&width=800) Photo: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Creek_Chub%252C_Semotilus_atromaculatus.jpg) ## Appearance The Creek Chub has a streamlined body, typically olive-brown on its back with silvery sides and a whitish belly. It features a distinctive dark spot at the base of its dorsal fin and a faint lateral band. Its large mouth is slightly angled upwards. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Cypriniformes - **Family:** Cyprinidae - **Genus:** Semotilus ## Interesting facts - Creek Chubs are a popular baitfish and a food source for many larger fish and birds! - Male Creek Chubs grow temporary bumpy 'horns' called tubercles on their heads when breeding! - These fish can migrate upstream during floods to find new habitats and food sources! - They are sometimes called 'stream sweepers' because they help clean up algae and detritus! ## Special abilities - **Pebble Architect:** Creek Chub males can build pebble nests by moving stones with their mouths to protect their eggs during spawning. - **Hardy Survivor:** Creek Chub has a robust physiology that helps them tolerate a wide range of water temperatures and conditions. - **Camouflage Master:** Creek Chub has mottled coloring that helps them blend seamlessly with the rocky or silty stream bottoms. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 7-30 cm - **Weight:** 0.01-0.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-7 years - **Swim Speed:** 10 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 3 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding These hungry fish eat almost anything they can find, from insects to tiny fish and even plants! - **Primary Foods:** aquatic insects, insect larvae, small fish, crayfish, algae, detritus - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) — Larger Brown Trout prey on Creek Chubs. - **Eaten by:** [North American River Otter](https://www.snappit.app/explore/north-american-river-otter) (*Lontra canadensis*) — River otters hunt Creek Chubs in freshwater habitats. - **Eaten by:** [Belted Kingfisher](https://www.snappit.app/explore/belted-kingfisher) (*Megaceryle alcyon*) — Kingfishers dive to catch Creek Chubs from the water. - **Eats:** [Mayfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mayfly) (*Baetis tricaudatus*) — Creek Chubs consume aquatic larvae of mayflies. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Creek Chub? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Creek Chub? 7-30 cm ### How much does Creek Chub weigh? 0.01-0.5 kg ### How long does Creek Chub live? 5-7 years ### What does Creek Chub eat? These hungry fish eat almost anything they can find, from insects to tiny fish and even plants! ### How fast can Creek Chub swim? 10 km/h ### Where is Creek Chub usually found? Creek chubs live in freshwater streams, rivers, and ponds, often in areas with plenty of rocks and plants. ### How does Creek Chub hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Chanticleer Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chanticleer-garden) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Enfield Shaker Museum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/enfield-shaker-museum) — New Hampshire, US · Museum - [Popes Head Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/popes-head-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Ridgewood Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ridgewood-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Robert Beaty Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/robert-beaty-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Rosemark](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rosemark) — Tennessee, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see Creek Chub](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/creek-chub) ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Creek Chub: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/creek-chub)