Candy darter Courtship and Spawning Behavior

Candy Darters (Etheostoma osburni) are an imperiled fish species of Virginia and West Virginia. These beautiful animals breed in springtime in cool and cold mountain streams. I was fortunate to catch some of this activity on video. I hope you enjoy. For more photos and videos of the underwater world, check me out at or Enchanting Ectotherms on Instagram!