Life History & Michigan History
Distribution: A member of the perch
family (Percidae), the rainbow darter is common across much of the eastern United States.
With at least 153 species, the family Percidae is the second most diverse family
of fishes in North America. The genus Etheostoma contains approximately 90
species of darters, all of which are native to North America.
Description: The rainbow darter is a small
fish growing to three inches in length. It is light brown on top with 6-10 dark,
vertical bars on the side (blue between red on the male; dark brown between
yellow-white on the female). The underside is yellow, green, or red. The dorsal,
caudal, and anal fins are red with blue margins (faint in females). Some males
may feature tiny red spots on the side. During breeding season, the male rainbow
darter is among the most colorful of all darters.
Habitat: The rainbow darter can be found
in fast moving gravel and riffles of creeks and small- to medium-sized rivers.
Behavior: The rainbow darter feeds on
aquatic insects and other small invertebrates such as snails and small crayfish.
Conservation: Darters are a food source for many larger freshwater
fish. Preserving these fish as well as other species is important in maintaining
healthy freshwater ecosystems.
You can help protect the rainbow darter by:
- Not dumping unused bait in lakes and streams
- Learning more about non-native aquatic species and how to keep them out of
our lakes and streams
- Removing all debris, plants, and animals from your vehicle, boat, and
trailer immediately after taking your boat out of the water
- Reporting any poaching, illegal dumping, or
illegal take to the DNR Report All Poaching Hotline at: 1-800-292-7800
- Purchasing a
wildlife habitat license plate or by donating to the
Nongame Fish & Wildlife
Trust Fund
Non-DNR Links
Etheostoma caeruleum (NatureServe)
Rainbow Darter (University of Minnesota)
Etheostoma caeruleum (Univ. of Michigan, Animal Diversity Web)
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