Vincent'sFUNWILDFACTS

83 species

Fish in North America

Here are 83 species of fish that live in North America. Every species has its own page with measurements, habitat, behaviour, IUCN conservation status and sources.

Alewife
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Alewife

Alosa pseudoharengus

50–250 g
4–10 yrs
OceanCoastRiver+1
American Shad
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

American Shad

Alosa sapidissima

1.5–5.5 kg
3–13 yrs
OceanRiverCoast
Arctic Charr
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Arctic Charr

Salvelinus alpinus

0.1–15 kg
10–25 yrs
LakeRiverOcean+3
Atlantic croaker
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Atlantic croaker

Micropogonias undulatus

0.5–2.5 kg
6–12 yrs
CoastOceanWetland
Atlantic Mackerel
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Atlantic Mackerel

Scomber scombrus

0.3–1.5 kg
10–20 yrs
OceanCoast
Atlantic Menhaden
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Atlantic Menhaden

Brevoortia tyrannus

0.15–0.6 kg
4–8 yrs
OceanCoastWetland
Atlantic Thread Herring
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Atlantic Thread Herring

Opisthonema oglinum

50–250 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoastReef
Aurora Trout
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Aurora Trout

Salvelinus fontinalis

0.5–2.5 kg
3–7 yrs
LakeRiver
Barred Sand Bass
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Barred Sand Bass

Paralabrax nebulifer

0.5–3.5 kg
15–25 yrs
OceanCoastReef+1
Bay Anchovy
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Bay Anchovy

Anchoa mitchilli

2–8 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoast
Black Bullhead
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Black Bullhead

Ameiurus melas

0.1–2.3 kg
5–10 yrs
LakeRiverWetland
Black perch
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Black perch

Embiotoca jacksoni

0.15–0.5 kg
6–9 yrs
OceanCoastReef+1
Blacksmith
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Blacksmith

Chromis punctipinnis

50–150 g
8–15 yrs
OceanReefCoast
bloater
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

bloater

Coregonus hoyi

10–80 g
3–7 yrs
LakeOcean
Blue Catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Blue Catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

2–68 kg
9–25 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Blueback Herring
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Blueback Herring

Alosa aestivalis

0.15–0.45 kg
6–10 yrs
RiverLakeCoast+1
Bluehead Wrasse
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Bluehead Wrasse

Thalassoma bifasciatum

20–150 g
3–6 yrs
OceanReefCoast
Bluntnose Minnow
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Bluntnose Minnow

Pimephales notatus

2–8 g
2–3 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Brindled Madtom
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Brindled Madtom

Noturus miurus

5–15 g
2–4 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Broad-striped Anchovy
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Broad-striped Anchovy

Anchoa hepsetus

3–8 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoast
Brown Bullhead
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Brown Bullhead

Ameiurus nebulosus

0.1–1.5 kg
5–10 yrs
LakeRiverWetland
California sheephead
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

California sheephead

Semicossyphus pulcher

1–16 kg
20–53 yrs
OceanReefCoast+1
Central Stoneroller
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Central Stoneroller

Campostoma anomalum

20–90 g
2–4 yrs
RiverWetland
Chub mackerel
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Chub mackerel

Scomber japonicus

0.3–2.8 kg
8–12 yrs
OceanCoast
Chum Salmon
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Chum Salmon

Oncorhynchus keta

3–7 kg
3–7 yrs
OceanRiverCoast
Coho Salmon
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Coho Salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

2.5–16 kg
3–5 yrs
OceanRiverLake+1
Common Dolphinfish (Mahi-mahi)
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Common Dolphinfish (Mahi-mahi)

Coryphaena hippurus

7–40 kg
2–5 yrs
Ocean
Cutthroat Trout
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Cutthroat Trout

Oncorhynchus clarkii

0.5–7 kg
3–9 yrs
RiverLakeMountain+1
Dojo loach
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Dojo loach

Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

10–150 g
5–10 yrs
WetlandRiverLake+1
Dolly Varden
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Dolly Varden

Salvelinus malma

0.5–4.5 kg
6–19 yrs
RiverLakeCoast+1
dusky anchovy
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

dusky anchovy

Anchoa lyolepis

2–8 g
1–2 yrs
OceanCoast
Finescale menhaden
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Finescale menhaden

Brevoortia gunteri

80–250 g
3–5 yrs
OceanCoastWetland
Flathead Catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Flathead Catfish

Pylodictis olivaris

0.5–56 kg
12–24 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Gafftopsail catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Gafftopsail catfish

Bagre marinus

0.5–2.3 kg
5–12 yrs
CoastOceanWetland+1
Garibaldi
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Garibaldi

Hypsypops rubicundus

0.15–0.45 kg
12–25 yrs
OceanCoastReef
Giant Sea Bass
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Giant Sea Bass

Stereolepis gigas

20–255 kg
30–75 yrs
OceanReefRocky Cliffs+1
Gizzard Shad
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Gizzard Shad

Dorosoma cepedianum

50–450 g
4–7 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Golden Shiner
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Golden Shiner

Notemigonus crysoleucas

10–150 g
3–9 yrs
LakeRiverWetland
Gulf menhaden
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Gulf menhaden

Brevoortia patronus

50–250 g
3–5 yrs
OceanCoastWetland
Hardhead Catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Hardhead Catfish

Ariopsis felis

0.5–1.4 kg
5–12 yrs
CoastOceanWetland+2
Kelp Bass
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Kelp Bass

Paralabrax clathratus

0.5–2.7 kg
10–33 yrs
OceanCoastReef+1
kelp perch
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

kelp perch

Brachyistius frenatus

50–150 g
4–8 yrs
OceanCoastReef
Lake Trout
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Lake Trout

Salvelinus namaycush

2–46 kg
15–25 yrs
LakeRiver
Lake Whitefish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Lake Whitefish

Coregonus clupeaformis

0.5–9 kg
8–25 yrs
LakeRiver
Leatherjack
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Leatherjack

Oligoplites saurus

0.1–0.5 kg
3–5 yrs
CoastOceanMangrove+1
Mapale Sea Catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Mapale Sea Catfish

Cathorops mapale

50–300 g
3–6 yrs
CoastOceanRiver+1
Margined Madtom
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Margined Madtom

Noturus insignis

5–15 g
3–5 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Nile tilapia
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Nile tilapia

Oreochromis niloticus

0.5–4.3 kg
5–10 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Northern Anchovy
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Northern Anchovy

Engraulis mordax

15–35 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoast
Opaleye
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Opaleye

Girella nigricans

0.5–3 kg
8–15 yrs
OceanCoastReef+1
Pacific herring
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Pacific herring

Clupea pallasii

50–250 g
8–19 yrs
OceanCoast
Pale catfish, South American catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Pale catfish, South American catfish

Rhamdia quelen

0.1–2.5 kg
4–8 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Pile Perch
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Pile Perch

Rhacochilus vacca

0.5–2 kg
8–12 yrs
CoastOceanReef+1
Pinfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Pinfish

Lagodon rhomboides

50–300 g
3–8 yrs
CoastOceanReef+1
Pink Salmon
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Pink Salmon

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

1.3–2.7 kg
2–2 yrs
OceanRiverCoast
Pumpkinseed
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Pumpkinseed

Lepomis gibbosus

20–600 g
4–12 yrs
LakeRiverWetland
rainbow seaperch
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

rainbow seaperch

Hypsurus caryi

0.15–0.45 kg
5–9 yrs
OceanCoastReef+1
Rainbow Trout
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Rainbow Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

0.5–9 kg
4–11 yrs
RiverMountainForest+1
Red Shiner
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Red Shiner

Cyprinella lutrensis

2–15 g
2–3 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Redband Parrotfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Redband Parrotfish

Sparisoma aurofrenatum

0.2–0.9 kg
5–7 yrs
ReefOceanCoast
Redear Sardine
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Redear Sardine

Harengula humeralis

15–45 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoastReef
Rock wrasse
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Rock wrasse

Halichoeres semicinctus

0.15–0.9 kg
8–12 yrs
OceanReefCoast+1
Rosey Reds / Fathead Minnow
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Rosey Reds / Fathead Minnow

Pimephales promelas

1–3 g
2–3 yrs
RiverLakeWetland+1
Round sardinella
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Round sardinella

Sardinella aurita

80–150 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoast
Round Whitefish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Round Whitefish

Prosopium cylindraceum

0.2–2.5 kg
8–14 yrs
LakeRiver
Sargo
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Sargo

Anisotremus davidsonii

0.5–2.5 kg
8–15 yrs
OceanCoastReef+1
Scaled Sardine
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Scaled Sardine

Harengula jaguana

15–35 g
2–4 yrs
OceanCoastReef+1
Señorita
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Señorita

Oxyjulis californica

20–150 g
4–6 yrs
OceanCoastReef+1
Shiner perch
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Shiner perch

Cymatogaster aggregata

20–150 g
5–8 yrs
CoastOceanReef
Skipjack Herring
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Skipjack Herring

Alosa chrysochloris

0.2–1.5 kg
3–6 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Slender Madtom
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Slender Madtom

Noturus exilis

1–3 g
2–4 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Speckled Madtom
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Speckled Madtom

Noturus leptacanthus

1–3 g
2–4 yrs
RiverWetland
Spot
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Spot

Leiostomus xanthurus

50–600 g
3–6 yrs
CoastOceanWetland
Stonecat
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Stonecat

Noturus flavus

5–25 g
3–7 yrs
RiverLake
Striped Bass
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Striped Bass

Morone saxatilis

2–27 kg
10–30 yrs
OceanCoastRiver+1
Striped parrotfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Striped parrotfish

Scarus iseri

30–150 g
4–7 yrs
ReefCoastOcean
Striped seaperch
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Striped seaperch

Embiotoca lateralis

50–450 g
5–9 yrs
OceanCoastReef+1
Tadpole Madtom
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Tadpole Madtom

Noturus gyrinus

1–15 g
2–4 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Threadfin shad
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Threadfin shad

Dorosoma petenense

20–150 g
2–4 yrs
LakeRiverWetland
White Catfish
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

White Catfish

Ameiurus catus

0.3–3.2 kg
5–14 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
White Sucker
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

White Sucker

Catostomus commersonii

0.2–3 kg
6–17 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Yellow Bullhead
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Yellow Bullhead

Ameiurus natalis

50–500 g
3–7 yrs
RiverLakeWetland
Zabaleta anchovy
Least Concern
🐟 Fish

Zabaleta anchovy

Anchovia clupeoides

3–15 g
1–3 yrs
CoastOceanRiver