freshwater
Freshwater Drum
Aplodinotus grunniens
Deep, compressed body with a slightly arched back, a blunt snout, and an inferior mouth. It has a continuous dorsal fin that is deeply notched between the spiny and soft-rayed portions. Coloration is typically silvery-gray to olive above, fading to white or silver on the belly.…
- Habitat
- Inhabits large rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across Nort…
- Size & weight
- Typically ranges from 12 to 24 inches in length and weig…
- Diet
- Feeds primarily on bottom-dwelling organisms including a…
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Physical characteristics
Deep, compressed body with a slightly arched back, a blunt snout, and an inferior mouth. It has a continuous dorsal fin that is deeply notched between the spiny and soft-rayed portions. Coloration is typically silvery-gray to olive above, fading to white or silver on the belly. Large scales cover the body, and the caudal fin is rounded.
Habitat & distribution
Inhabits large rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across North America, often preferring turbid waters and bottoms consisting of mud, sand, or gravel.
Behavior
Solitary or loose groups, highly active near the bottom of water bodies, often producing distinctive drumming or grunting sounds using its swim bladder.
Diet
Feeds primarily on bottom-dwelling organisms including aquatic insects, crayfish, mollusks (such as clams and snails), and smaller fish, crushing hard shells with specialized throat teeth.
Reproduction
Spawns in open water during the late spring and early summer, releasing pelagic eggs that drift with the current until hatching.
Ecological role
Acts as a benthic predator and helps control populations of bottom-dwelling invertebrates, particularly zebra mussels.
Similar species
Can be confused with certain saltwater croakers or drums, but within its freshwater range, its distinctively humped back and rounded tail separate it from most other fish.
Identification tips
Look for the humped back, silvery coloration, blunt snout, inferior mouth, and the distinct notch in the dorsal fin.
Interesting facts
The freshwater drum is the only exclusively freshwater member of the Sciaenidae (drum and croaker) family in North America and uses special muscles against its swim bladder to create drumming sounds.