the swamp darter is found in stagnant swamps, bogs, and man-made ponds or slow-flowing, sluggish streams, especially where detritus or aquatic vegetation occurs over mud. fish color is related to water color; the darkest individuals are in dark-water coastal streams and ponds. it lives in water in which the lower ph values are not typically tolerated by all but a few freshwater species of fish. it also tends to thrive in alkaline waters of northern florida. the range of water temperature tolerated between maine and florida is also impressive.