What Eats the Blue Fin Killifish?

Found in the fresh waters of the American South, the bluefin killifish is a common bait fish. You can catch the fish in streams, ponds and slow-moving rivers of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina and Mississippi. The 2.5-inch fish is brightly colored and distinguishable in some of the murky waters. The bluefin killifish is one of many species of killifish. Its size makes the fish a prime target for predators in the water that regularly eat the bluefin killifish.

  1. What It Is

    • The bluefin killifish is essentially a minnow, and is used for bait by bass fishermen and others. The coloring of the fish is easy to see in the water. Its small size helps make the fish more attractive to larger breeds that feed on small carp. The bluefin killifish is from the carp family of fish. Despite its vulnerability, the killifish has tiny teeth used to tear and eat smaller water creatures, such as insects that inhabit the water. The fish is also a popular aquarium fish as well.

    Predators

    • The fish that bluefin killifish find as predators are also those that respond well to the minnow as bait. They are also used for bluegill fishing, according to "The City Fisher Newsletter." Birds that inhabit freshwater streams, ponds and rivers are also predators to the bluefin killifish. These include heron, wading birds and egrets.

    Human Consumption

    • The bluefin killifish is too small for people to eat. They are harvested to use as bait to catch other fish or as aquarium pets.

    Dwindling Population

    • South Carolina has the bluefin killifish listed as a species of concern, but not endangered, according to the U.S. Department of Natural Resources. The populations are dwindling in South Carolina and other states due to pollution, change in water flow patterns and drought.