What is this fish? (it may be prehistoric)?

Question

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=61ocz6e

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=67x135u

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=53zs3ye

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=5x8i3w2

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=4y5pkw1

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=6785s9v

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=62rhldv

My dog found this but idk where and we think it may be prehistoric. It has no lower half so we cant see the fin position and it doesnt have regular scales its not decayed , which fish usually do in a week or two and its "scales" are stiff almost like an exoskeketon. Please give as much information as possible if you can . Thank You

it is about 9 inches long

i dont know where it is from i do not have any salt water or regular water ponds or anything near my house (its in the middle of feilds)

I live in northeast ohio

Answer 1

looks to me like a plecostomus. or alge eater

Answer 2

I'd say it looks like a plecostomus(algae eater). Try doing a search for that, you'll find lots of pictures of them to compare to it. They're a scaleless fish also.

I would venture to say, someone had it in their own personal pond(like I do) in their backyard, and a bird or other animal took it and dropped it in the field. They are found in rivers and such due to people dumping them in them because they get so large(some up to 2 feet), but that's mainly down in the Southern states where it's not as cold during the winter.

Answer 3

It looks like a plecostemus. They have a very tough shell, and it probably would take a long time for that part of the pleco to breakdown. At least it looks like my pleco's only mine are alive.

Answer 4

I may be completely off but it looks like a mix of an algae eater, and a prehistoric fish.

Answer 5

It looks to be one of the Anscistrus species. Probably out of someones aquarium. Unless you live in South America.

Answer 6

good dog, fresh or salt water...from the pics its hard to tell what is going on...is it fossilized...where did the dog find it. dont think this is much of an answer...

Answer 7

it looks like a dried up pleco.. known to be in streams and when the water dries up.. they also get dried up..

Answer 8

where do you live?
it looks like a cephalaspis species from the devonian period.

Answer 9

looks to me like its an old dried up cat fish. ewwwwwwww!