Pikes and Mudminnows: Esociformes

Adult pikes move freely between shore and open water. All pikes and mudminnows prefer still or slow-moving water where dense plants give them a place to hide. Other than dense plant cover, mudminnows seek areas with a thick and loose muddy bottom, into which they quickly dive when startled. The digestive tract, the body parts that change food into energy, and the swim bladder, an internal sac used to control position in the water, of mudminnows are modified to extract oxygen from gulped air. This feature allows the fish to withstand the high oxygen levels of water heavy with plants.