Diet and Nutrition

The diet of the mud darter can be quite diverse during the summer months when the fish are most active. In 1984, a study was conducted on that examined the stomach contents of numerous mud darters in Lake Creek, Illinois. The contents varied greatly from small spiders, micro crustaceans, several types of insect larvae, and in some cases even the eggs of other fish. Based on the results, the main diet of the mud darter seems to be comprised of mostly isopods, mayfly naiads, and caddisfly larvae. Caddisfly larvae seems to be a runaway favorite as they were found in 100% of the stomachs examined. (Cummings et. al., 1984)

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