Range and Identity
Forbesichthys agassizii is recorded from portions of Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. Historical spring and cave localities should retain their original identification, particularly where nearby groundwater systems support similar fishes. A cave entrance alone does not define the full occupied habitat.
Habitat and Behavior
Adults live underground but emerge into springs near the surface, especially at night. Fish exposed in spring water often shelter beneath rocks or debris. This behavior differs from assuming the species is either permanently visible in springs or entirely absent from surface water.
Food and Life History
The upper reference is nine centimeters total length, with 5.3 centimeters as a common size. Nighttime foods include amphipods, midge larvae, small worms and other tiny crustaceans. Females carry developing eggs in the gill chambers according to the account.
Field Note
Include time of day and position relative to the spring outlet. Those details help explain why a daytime visit may reveal little of the activity seen at the same place after dark.
All Lakes With Spring Cavefish
Browse lakes and reservoirs with documented Spring Cavefish records, listed alphabetically. Records do not establish current abundance or public access. Check the evidence and managing authority for the water you choose.
No published lakes are currently linked to this species in our confirmed records.