Fish populations and invertebrate prey are significantly lower in streams receiving drainage from abandoned coal mines (AMD). This study analyzed the effects of alkaline AMD (pH 6.5, Fe 30-50 ppm) on fish feeding, oxygen consumption, growth, and survivorship in both the field and the laboratory. It was hypothesized that in both cases the fish exposed to mine drainage will have lower survivorship. The physical characteristics of these fish will be compromised as well as their oxygen consumption abilities and eating habits. Overall, they will not eat as much due to the ferric hydroxide precipitate, which will inhibit their abilities and therefore affect their growth. In two streams, survivorship was similar after native Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys atratulus) were held and fed daily for two weeks in cages upstream and downstream from AMD. In the lab, there was also no significant difference in survivorship of Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) maintained for two months in both tanks and individual jars, 50% versus 70% for control and AMD conditions, respectively. The lab experiment also studied the effects of food on fish survival in these conditions. However neither flake nor pellet food had a significant effect on survivorship. Fathead minnows in AMD showed statistically significant decreased feeding (152 average strikes/minute, SD 24) compared to control minnows in spring water (173 average strikes/minute, SD 39) in 17 trials per group, p = 0.03. Therefore, decreased feeding due to restricted food finding ability and lower prey abundance rather than poor water quality may cause low fish abundance in alkaline AMD streams. It is important to study the effects of mine drainage on fish because the information gained could provide a better understanding of its impacts on the entire ecosystem. It is also possible the knowledge gained through this type of study would help in restoration programs of watersheds impacted by abandoned mine drainage.