In search of … Carolina madtoms
July 28, 2025
Eastern North Carolina is home to a cool little catfish called the Carolina madtom. This federally endangered species is found only in the Neuse and Tar River Basins and is one of the state’s rarest fishes.
In mid-July, Museum educators Megan Davis and Danielle Pender led a “Mad for Madtoms” program matching fish biologists from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission with a select group of eight teachers (a mix of both formal and informal educators). Participants learned about the natural history of the madtom, along with the challenges and ongoing restoration practices for the species. They also got to snorkel in a tiny creek … a welcome, albeit temporary, relief from the summer heat.
Carolina madtoms — which max out at around 5 inches in length — can be found hiding under mussel shells, logs, pieces of bark and just about any type of cover in free-flowing streams. When they’re not hiding, they can be found pursuing prey that primarily consists of bottom-dwelling invertebrates, such as larval dragonflies and diving beetles.
On this day, the participants found several madtoms, along with a few Carolina spiny crayfish (also endemic to the Tar and Neuse River Basins), and a Neuse River waterdog, one of the rarest salamanders in the Southeastern U.S. The presence of each of these species shows that this creek is healthy; the presence of a waterdog proved that adults still geek out when discovering cool creatures.
Beyond learning about the inner (or underwater) workings of this particular ecosystem, eliciting excitement from the participants is one of the key results Davis strives for in these programs. “As we snorkeled a muddy river looking for tiny, camouflaged catfish,” Davis explains, “one of the teachers suddenly stood up, pulled off her mask and yelled, ‘This is the coolest thing I have ever done in my life!’
“That enthusiasm and excitement for what we were experiencing firsthand is why the Museum continues to offer these irreplaceable experiences to teachers.”
You can read more about the Carolina madtom at ncwildlife.gov/species/carolina-madtom. Photo: ncfishes.com.
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