Warren Wilson College Biology Professor Dr. Pat Ciccotto recently joined the Fish of the Week! podcast to share his expertise on a fascinating and rare Southeastern fish: the Spotfin Chub.

Found only in the Tennessee River basin, the Spotfin Chub is a beautiful, sometimes iridescent blue fish—and the only species in its genus. Ciccotto and fellow guest Luke Etchison from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission discussed the fish’s unique spawning habits, which involve using crevices in bedrock, as well as the environmental pressures the species faces, including lingering impacts from Hurricane Helene.

“The biggest takeaway,” said Ciccotto, “is that we live in an area with incredible aquatic biodiversity, including the Spotfin Chub, that is unfortunately under threat. However, work in collaboration with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and other community partners will hopefully aid in the recovery of this and other imperiled fishes.”

Beyond the fish’s uniqueness, Ciccotto emphasized its importance to broader environmental health: “The Spotfin Chub is one of many native species that participates in a functioning stream ecosystem. Healthy, functioning stream ecosystems that have robust native fish communities are generally associated with excellent water quality. Protecting this species is therefore part of the larger issue of maintaining the ecological integrity of our local water bodies.”

The podcast also highlighted the growing popularity of the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail, where visitors can observe the Spotfin Chub and other native species in their natural habitat.

At Warren Wilson, Ciccotto integrates the Spotfin Chub into both research and the classroom. “Students are currently involved in quantifying the physical habitat—as well as fish and macroinvertebrate communities—of the Swannanoa River for potential reintroductions of the Spotfin Chub onto campus,” he said. “These data will serve as a baseline for determining whether reintroductions can be viable. We hope to get to the point where we can conduct continuous monitoring of these variables before, during, and after the reintroduction.”

Students explore these topics further in courses like Biology of Fishes (BIO 3190) and the First-Year Seminar “Conservation of Freshwater Fishes.”

To learn more about the Spotfin Chub and local aquatic ecosystems, listen to the episode on Fish of the Week! on your podcast app of choice.