Ohio Sea Grant looks at relationship between smallmouth, invasive round goby in Lake Erie

For humans, if the temperature rises by a few degrees, the immediate impact is minimal. Some people might peel off a layer of clothing. Others might not even notice a difference. But for fish living in Lake Erie, such a temperature increase in water could spell disaster. Fish are ectotherms, meaning that their body temperature is dictated by the water they live in. As water heats up, fish metabolism increases, causing fish to work faster and use up more energy.