Typical Fish Species of Pond Creeks in California

Ponds and creeks have a unique habitat with still and often warm waters that are shallow for at least part of the year. The fish species that live in these ponds and creeks have adapted to such conditions as extreme temperatures and limited oxygen availability. Human development has changed the populations of fish found in the ponds and creeks of California, and many common species are actually not native to California.

  1. California Roach (Lavinia symmetricus)

    • The native California roach fish, found throughout much of Northern California and small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, has a thick body with dark stripes running along the back and sides. Roach fish live in slow-moving waters with gravel or rock-type substrates where they will lay eggs. California roach fish have adapted to living in both cold and extremely warm regions.

    Salmon

    • Several salmon species are found in the waters of California, some native and some introduced. These species use the slow-moving waters of creeks and streams to breed. Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) need the colder waters of Northern California to grow; water temperatures that reach 75 degrees F will kill them. Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) spawn in the very Northern streams of California near the Oregon border from June to January. The Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) also inhabit these extreme northern waters, although their range extends farther south to the Sacramento Valley area. Kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) is celebrated each year in Lake Tahoe during October when the Kokanee return to the shallow creeks to spawn. The Kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) are considered a land-locked species that does not travel to the ocean as adults.

    Western Mosquito Fish (Gambusia affinis)

    • Native to much of the Central U.S. and into Central America, the mosquito fish, which eat mosquito larvae, has been introduced to most of California's creeks and ponds located near urban areas as a major mosquito control method. The mosquito fish thrives in stagnant waters of nearly any temperature, making the species well suited for use as mosquito control. These are small (2 to 3 inches) grey fish that live in schools and are easy to spot from the surface.

    Bigscale Logperch (Percina macrolepida)

    • Bigscale logperches are native to much of the southern half of the U.S. and into Mexico, but introduced into California where they have adapted to many water habitats of California. These are thin fish whose largest members measure about 4 inches in length. This fish is identifiable by its golden-brown body with dark horizontal bands. They reside near aquatic vegetation and can bury themselves into the mud or sand to hide from predators or wait for prey.