Largemouth Bass (Huro salmoides) 



AppCiiidiirc. The shape of this species hardly requires description, 

 except to state that the mouth, unHke that of the Smallmouth Bass 

 of clearer and colder waters, opens to back of a line drawn verti- 

 cally from the center of the eye. The Largemouth Bass also has a 

 sage green stripe running from the nose through the eye to the 

 center of the base of the tail. The back is sage green to pale olive. 

 A young fish of aquarium size is pale olive green, sometimes almost 

 a greenish straw color above the stripe, and greenish white beneath. 

 The second dorsal fin is both longer and higher than the first and 

 is separated from it by a deep notch. Older fish tend to be dark 

 green above and greenish white below. 



Size. Up to 450 mm. or more in length. 



Breeding Habits. A male will fan the silt away from over the 

 sand bottom until he has exposed fibrous plant rootlets. Over this 

 saucer-shaped nest he then drives any female that appears. She 

 deposits eggs and leaves to return again later. The male fans silt 

 awav from the eggs and drives off predators until the young fry 

 are too active to be kept together. Spawning takes place in May 

 and June. Often nests will be only a yard or two apart. 



Food. Fishes, crawfishes and occasional insects. Lean beef, liver, 

 chopped clam, snails and prepared fish foods prove acceptable in 

 an aquarium. 



The young bass tames readily and will break water to catch flics 

 or bits of meat from the hand. It is one of the most hardy of 

 aquarium fishes. When large it will swallow other fish half its size. 



[23] 



