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How Many Freshwater Fish Can You Name From a Photo?

By: Ariana Perez

11 min

How Many Freshwater Fish Can You Name From a Photo?

Image: Yiming Chen / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Were you aware that fishes are known to be the oldest aquatic vertebrates found around the world, having a fossil record spanning over 500 million years? Today, fishes can be found in an endless array of places: lakes, streams, rocky shores, reefs, kelp forests, ponds, oceans, estuaries and under sea ice, to name a few. When it comes to freshwater fish, there are thousands of different types. (Over 15,000, to be more precise.)

Freshwater fish species can vary greatly from country to country, not to mention from state to state. Their size, color, diet and even behavior help fishers and fish enthusiasts identify what type of fish they’re dealing with. Fish are unique and differ greatly from one to the other. Some of them you might know very well, especially if you go out fishing regularly or have an appetite for fish. But as you put the names of a few fish in your catch-and-eat bucket list (or perhaps just the eat bucket list), how well do you actually know your fish? Take this quiz and test your scales... I mean, skills.

Largemouth bass

JLFCapture / E+ / Getty Images

Rhymes with "grass." The range of this fish within North America extends from the St. Lawrence River, through the Great Lakes, by the Hudson Bay and into the Mississippi River. And let's admit it, it's a pretty good looking fish! What species is this handsome fish?

Largemouth bass

Is that true?

Australian bass

Barcoo grunter

Chinook salmon

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Rainbow trout

lightasafeather / E+ / Getty Images

"Somewhere, over the..." The name Rainbow trout describes their shining colors on their skin. They're also known as redband trouts, because of the pinkish line across their bodies. Notorious for its colorfully patterned skin and ability to swim upstream, what species is this fish?

Channel catfish

Alligator gar

Bull trout

Rainbow trout

Did you know that?

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Bluegill

Michael Wood/Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images / Getty Images

The color of this fish's mouth serves as a hint to its name. Bluegill is one of the most popular food and game fishes. This fish can be found in numerous freshwater habitats throughout the western United States and other parts of the world. This fish is one of the easiest to catch. Can you name it?

Bluegill

Did you know that?

Walleye

Humpback chub

Lake sturgeon

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Walleye

lemonadelucy / E+ / Getty Images

"From the window, to the...!" Its name derives from a special pigment layer located in its eye that can reflect light. This helps the fish when it navigates dark and murky waters. Also a common freshwater game fish, this species is the biggest member of the perch family. Which fish is it?

Crappie

Whitebass

Yellow perch

Walleye

Really?

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Crappie

Wiki Commons by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

"Why do you look so sad and ________?" This fish is believed to be native to the eastern United States and Canada. However, due to transplantation, it can be easily found all throughout the United States. Found in all 48 adjoining states of the U.S., this species is a very popular North American game fish. Can you recognize it?

Redfin bully

Orfe

Machinaw

Crappie

Indeed!

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Muskellunge

Wiki Commons by Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

"That musk perfume smells so good!" Most commonly known as The Muskie, this fish is the largest member in the pike species. It tends to grow 22-39 inches long, hence its weight! Often confused with the Northern Pike, this fish has needle-like teeth and can be fished in the Northeastern United States and Canada. Which fish is this?

Northland mudfish

Perch

Salmonidae

Muskellunge

Who knew?

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Brook trout

Utah-based Photographer Ryan Houston / Moment Open / Getty Images

Curl up and read a good ____. Displaying a beautiful array of colors, the brook trout is the only trout native to much of eastern America. It favors coldwater streams and lakes. Displaying a range of colors, this fish can help demonstrate the health of the water. What’s it called?

Brook trout

Did you know that?

Steelhead

Brown trout

Sockeye salmon

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Channel catfish

GeorgePeters / E+ / Getty Images

"Grab the remote and change the _______." Their “barbels” help these fish find food in dark waters. They also have taste buds all over the surface of their body, which is helpful for when looking for tasty food. These fish have an olive brown to gray color and often display dark spots, especially the smaller ones. Which fish is it?

Blue catfish

Channel catfish

Who knew?

Barcoo grunter

Mangrove jack

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Smallmouth bass

Wiki Commons by Engbretson Eric, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Probably has a hard time eating. This fish loves clear water and cold rivers. Its many nicknames just go to show how popular it is throughout the United States. The pseudonyms for this fish include “smallie” and “green trout.” Which fish is it?

Crappie

Smallmouth bass

Did you know that?

Black flounder

Brown trout

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Northern pike

Picavet / Photodisc / Getty Images

Not Southern. This fish is a great predator thanks to its long, flattened snout and sharp teeth. It's also pretty big, especially the female pike, which can weigh more than 18 pounds. This fish gets its name from its similarity to a pole-like weapon used in the Middle Ages. Can you identify it?

Khaki grunter

Cherry barb

Killifish

Northern pike

Indeed!

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Barramundi

georgeclerk / E+ / Getty Images

It rhymes with salmagundi... Barramundi are also known as Asian sea bass. They’re distantly related to the African Nile perch. This fish is usually silver, and its native waters span from Northern Australia to Southeast Asia, then west to Indian and Sri Lankan waters. Can you name it?

Barramundi

How are you enjoying this quiz?

May River cod

Pacific shortfin eel

Yabby

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Chinook salmon

lightasafeather / E+ / Getty Images

That's one fine-looking chin. Its nickname alludes to its huge size, with the world record standing at 126 pounds. Although it likes to migrate, once it hatches, this fish will remain in fresh water for a length of time depending on the temperature of the water. This fish is also known as “King” and blackmouth, with those weighing over 30 pounds dubbed as “Tyee.” Which fish is it?

Lungfish

Northern saratoga

Chinook salmon

How are you enjoying this quiz?

Brook char

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Common carp

Wiki Commons by Piet Spaans

It's pretty common. This fish is omnivorous but can also be herbivorous. Although it likes aquatic plants, it prefers to look for insects and worms at the bottom of waters. It's a messy eater! This fish has a robust, thick body that is arched toward the dorsal fin. Which is it?

Pollack

Panfish

Ling

Common carp

Really?

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Freshwater drum

Wiki Commons by Prof. emerit. Dr. Hans Schneider

Drumroll, please! Mature males are able to grunt, thanks to a special set of muscles in the body cavity. The muscles tremble, touch the swim bladder, and emit the grunting. Some call it sheephead, but what is this fish more commonly called?

Arctic grayling

Atlantic sturgeon

Freshwater drum

Really?

Bloater

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Mangrove jack

Wiki Commons by Taro Taylor from Sydney, Australia

Hit the road, Jack! Sometimes this fish is also confused with the red bass. It's strong, with some of the biggest measuring over 21 inches. Nicknamed the red bream, what’s the actual name of this fish?

Rainbow fish

Spotted flagtail

Mangrove jack

Did you know that?

Lungfish

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Spotted flagtail

fishopolis88 via YouTube

Spotted: a fish with a different tail. This fish originates in South American countries. It eats soft-leaved plants, though occasionally ventures to find plants with firmer leaves. Often confused with the jungle perch, what is this fish called?

Spotted flagtail

Is that true?

Rainbow fish

Sooty grunter

Sleepy cod

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Silver perch

Wiki Commons by NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC.

It's a silvery fish. An Australian native fish, the silver perch is classified in the Terapontidae family, hence why it’s confused with grunters. Adult silver perch are omnivorous and feed on small prey, including worms and crustaceans. It is often misidentified with the barcoo grunter, but which is it?

Welch's grunter

Jungle perch

Silver perch

Indeed!

Australian bass

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Alligator gar

Michael Wood/Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images / Getty Images

See ya later, alligator! Its alligator-like snout gives this species its name. It can grow to be as big as 10 feet, and is known as one of the largest freshwater fishes in North America. This fish is menacing-looking due to its long snout and tooth-filled mouth. What is it called?

Smallmouth buffalo

Blueback herring

Alligator gar

Did you know that?

Black flounder

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Hybrid bass

Ty PigPatrol via YouTube

Think: Prius. Similar to the white bass, members of this species differ from each other thanks to stripes along the sides and back. Some of its other nicknames include "sunshine bass" and "palmetto bass." Also known as a "wiper," what is this fish?

Tilapia

Salmon

Shortjaw kokopu

Hybrid bass

Who knew?

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Rio Grande silvery minnow

knmedotorg via YouTube

What's Big River in Spanish? This species used to be abundant throughout the Rio Grande and Pecos basins. An herbivore, it mainly feeds on plants and benthic macroinvertebrates. This fish occupies less than 10 percent of its historic range and can only be found in New Mexico. Which is it?

Razorback sucker

Rio Grande silvery minnow

How are you enjoying this quiz?

Striped bass

Paddlefish

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White bass

Wiki Commons by Eric Engbretson / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Cruella de Vil wears black and ______. Its color pattern ranges from silvery-white to light green. It's easily identified thanks to its mostly black back and pale stripes that run along its belly. This fish inhabits lakes, ponds and the pools of rivers. What is it?

White bass

Is that true?

Tarndale bully

Mackinaw

Lamprey

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Westslope cutthroat trout

gmcoop / E+ / Getty Images

Corporations often have _________ work environments. Though associated with Montana, this fish has a historical range that includes the upper Missouri drainage. Due to its declining numbers, the Westslope Cutthroat Trout is currently listed as "threatened" under the Species Risk Act. This fish is the official state fish for the state of Montana. Can you identify it?

Golden trout

Sockeye salmon

Westslope Cutthroat Trout

Really?

Chinook salmon

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Torrentfish

Wiki Commons by Blueether

Swimming in torrent water. This fish likes to live in swift white rapids of stony rivers and streams. It's able to anchor itself to riverbeds thanks to its flat head and large pectoral fins. This freshwater fish is the only known member of the Pinguipedidae family in New Zealand. What is it called?

Stokells Smelt

Torrentfish

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Koaro

Inanga

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Yellow perch

Wiki Commons by Robert Colletta

Primary color. This fish can be quickly identified thanks to its green to yellow-gold color. It has six to eight dark, vertical lines extending from the back to under the lateral line. This fish likes to spawn during spring as the temperatures rise along the shorelines. Can you identify it?

Apache trout

Chum salmon

Yellow perch

Who knew?

Comanche Springs Pupfish

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Mountain whitefish

Wiki Commons by Mike Cline

High altitude streams can be found near mountains, as can this fish. This fish has a whitefish cylindrical body, similar to the trout and salmon. It can be distinguished from other similar fish, such as the pikeminnows, due to an adipose fin on its back, near the tail. This fish prefers cold, high altitude streams. What is it?

Mountain whitefish

Did you know that?

American eel

Kokanee salmon

Bloomfield River cod

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Arctic grayling

Reimar Gaertner/UIG / Getty Images

Frantic in the Arctic. The Artic grayling fish has many different colorings, which often change depending on the stream its located in. Its dorsal fins are one of its most colorful body parts, usually fringed in red and dotted with a spread of aqua and purple spots. This species of freshwater fish is part of the salmon family. Can you name this fish?

Arctic grayling

Did you know that?

Brown mudfish

Catfish

Crans bully

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Banded kokopu

Wiki Commons by Blueether

The parade featured a marching ______. The adult banded kokopu can be distinguished from other galaxiid species by the soft perpendicular bands that run along their sides and over their back. They can grow to be over seven inches. Primarily a coastal species, what is this fish called?

Inanga

Lowland Longjaw Galaxias

Banded kokopu

Did you know that?

Chatham mudfish

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Neon tetra

Oscar SÃ¡nchez Photography / Moment Open / Getty Images

Think: Las Vegas lights. The blue horizontal strip across their body makes it visible in dark waters. A common fish to buy, it can grow to be roughly one inch in length. It is a small, easy-to-care-for species. Can you name it?

Apache trout

Neon tetra

Is that true?

Steelhead

Australian bass

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

Grey mullet

Jose A. Bernat Bacete / Moment / Getty Images

Business in the front, party in the back. This fish is identified from other mullets due to the lack of bright yellow eyes. Its oily flesh makes it a valuable food fish, hence its worldwide distribution. Known as the second member of the Mugilidae family found in New Zealand, what is the name of this fish?

Grayling

Grass carp

Grey mullet

Did you know that?

Mosquitofish

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Koi carp

seng chye teo / Moment / Getty Images

"Come on, tell me! Don't be ____." This fish can sport an endless array of colors. It can be identified thanks to their elongated, tubular body and flat head. A brightly colored member of the Cyprinidae family, what is this fish called?

Sea mullet

Sooty grunter

Yellowbelly

Koi carp

Really?

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Orfe

Wiki Commons by Viridiflavus

It rhymes with "orb." It's similar to a goldfish, except for its torpedo-like body shape. It has a yellowish orange color, often accompanied with black spots on the head and silvery flanks. Also dubbed “ide,” what is the more common name of this fish?

Orfe

Really?

Bignose galaxias

Brook char

Estuarine triplefin

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Rudd

Colin Milkins / Photodisc / Getty Images

Stuck in a ____. This fish is often confused with the roach fish. However, it can be distinguished by the position of its dorsal fin, which is situated further back, and their bluish-green back with silvery-white sides. Native to Eurasia, this fish was illegally imported to New Zealand in 1967. Can you identify it?

Goldfish

Rudd

Really?

Wels catfish

Huchen

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Yelloweye mullet

Wiki Commons by StellaMcQ

Cats often have eyes like these. Their eyes give it away! The Yelloweye mullet fish has distinct yellow eyes and a greenish-brown body with brown fins. This fish is the most common of its species in southern Australia. Can you identify it?

Silver carp

Shortfin eel

Upland bully

Yelloweye mullet

How are you enjoying this quiz?

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

Guppy

isoft / E+ / Getty Images

Rhymes with the word for a young dog. Robert Lechmere Guppy, a researcher with no scientific background, is credited for discovering this fish. This fish also goes by “the millionfish” and “the rainbow fish.”. Named after a researcher and geologist, can you identify this fish?

Discus

Guppy

Is that true?

Eel-tailed catfish

Bluegill

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Mosquitofish

Wiki Commons by NOZO

Grab the bug spray. Yes, really. It mainly eats mosquitoes! This fish was introduced to many countries as pest control thanks to its diet choices. The name of this fish derives from their diet. Can you name it?

Mackinaw

Striped bass

Mosquitofish

Did you know that?

Chum salmon

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Common bream

Wiki Commons by ÐÐ¸ÐºÐ¾Ð²Ð° ÐÐ°ÑÐ°Ð»Ð¸Ñ

Turn on your car's high breams when driving through fog. This fish is primarily found throughout Europe and nearby Asia. It's very common in Irish water and likes to reside in lowland rivers and lakes. This fish is found in lakes and slow rivers. Can you name it?

Ammersee kilch

Muge

Common bream

Really?

Vairon

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Reedfish

Wiki Commons by MichaÅ Zalewski

Probably loves libraries. Its body shape can make it look like a water snake. Hence, this fish is also called a ropefish. It's more commonly found in slow-flowing rivers and standing waters. A snake-like fish. Can you name it?

Reedfish

How are you enjoying this quiz?

Loach catfish

Banded corydoras

Caracha

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Panaque

Wiki Commons by JSutton93

Its name looks like "pancake." It is one of the few fish that digests wood. Panaque are large freshwater fish forming part of the taxonomic family Loricariidae, a large group of catfishes. This fish is a popular pet. What is it called?

Goldfish

Zebra pleco

Golden dwarf sucker

Panaque

Really?

Yiming Chen / Moment / Getty Images

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