Suckers have a distinctive mouth which is used to suck up invertebrates from the bottom of the water body. There are no teeth in the mouth, however teeth are present in the throat. Suckers have one dorsal fin with nine or more dorsal rays. The pelvic fins are abdominal in position, and cycloid scales may be found on the body but not on the head.

river carpsucker--Carpiodes carpio
quillback--Carpiodes cyprinus
highfin carpsucker--Carpiodes velifer
longnose sucker--Catostomus catostomus [state threatened]
white sucker--Catostomus commersoni
blue sucker--Cycleptus elongatus

creek chubsucker -- Erimyzon oblongus
The creek chubsucker is a small (to eight and one-half inches), chubby fish with no lateral line. This fish is found in sand and gravel areas of clear headwaters, creeks and rivers. Its diet consists of tiny aquatic crustaceans. Spawning occurs in March or April.


lake chubsucker--Erimyzon sucetta
northern hog sucker--Hypentelium nigricans
smallmouth buffalo--Ictiobus bubalus
bigmouth buffalo--Ictiobus cyprinellus
black buffalo--Ictiobus niger
spotted sucker--Minytrema melanops
silver redhorse--Moxostoma anisurum
shorthead redhorse--Moxostoma breviceps
river redhorse--Moxostoma carinatum [state threatened]
black redhorse--Moxostoma duquesnei
golden redhorse--Moxostoma erythrurum
northern redhorse--Moxostoma macrolepidotum
pealip redhorse--Moxostoma pisolabrum
greater redhorse--Moxostoma valenciennesi [state endangered]