Northern Hogsucker

Hypentelium nigricans

Classification

Conservation Status

  • Northern hogsucker like clear waters with swift currents and can be found on stream bottoms and in riffles. 
  • The species pushes aside rocks and pebbles with its snout and vacuums up insects, mollusks, crustaceans, and vegetation from the river bed. 
  • Other fish swim downstream of hogsuckers to feed on the food hogsuckers stir up. 
  • Northern hogsuckers are intolerant of man-made disturbances and pollution and have suffered from the impacts of dams, channelization, and sedimentation.