Fishes of Idaho

How are your identification skills? Do you know which are native and which were introduced? To see photos and descriptions, and learn more about Idaho fish, check out our Fishes of Idaho online database.

Do you have fish photos we could use on this site?

Check out our list of photo needs. Photos should focus on the fish and show considerable detail on its coloration and fins. Please send only photos you have taken yourself or that are not copywritten.
Email photos to David Venditti.

There are around 20,000 species of fish in the world. About 58% of these are marine (saltwater) fish, 41% are freshwater fish, and 1% are both. We have around 100 species in Idaho, and the list keeps growing as more non-native fish are released into Idaho waters. There are only 39 species of fish native to Idaho. The rest were introduced--some by accident, but most on purpose.

(Clupeidae)

American shad (Alosa sapidissima)

(Salmonoids)

(Cichlidae)

(Poecilliidae)

Catfishes (Ictalurids)

Codfishes (Gadids)

Burbot (Lota lota)

Lampreys (Petromyzonids)

Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata)

Minnows (Cyprinids)

Perches (Perchids)

Pikes (Esocids)

Sculpins (Cottids)

Sturgeons (Acipenserids)

White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

Suckers (Catostomids)

Sunfishes (Centrarchids)

Troutperches (Percopsids)

Sand roller (Percopsis transmontana)

Weatherfish (Cobitidae)

Oriental weatherfish (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)