Northern redbelly dace facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Northern redbelly dace
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Synonyms
Phoxinus eos (Cope, 1861) Chrosomus dakotensis Evermann & Cox, 1896

The northern redbelly dace (Chrosomus eos) is a small fresh water fish. It belongs to the minnow and carp family, called Cyprinidae. You can usually find it in lakes and small streams. These fish live in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. They are about 1 to 3 inches long. This makes them one of many minnow species in these areas.

What Does the Northern Redbelly Dace Look Like?

The northern redbelly dace is a minnow, usually about 55 millimeters (2 inches) long. It has two dark stripes along its sides. Its back is a shiny silver color. The top stripe might break into dots near its back fin. Tiny, almost invisible scales cover its body. The lower sides of its body can be white, yellow, or silver.

During the breeding season, males become very colorful. Their lower sides turn a bright red. Females also get a pretty green stripe on their belly. A cool way to identify them is by their long, coiled intestines. They also have a black lining inside their body cavity. Their side line (called a lateral line) is not complete. It has 70 to 90 scales.

This fish has thin, bendy rays in its fins. These are called "soft-rays." It has a pair of fins near its chest (pectoral fins). It also has fins on its belly (pelvic fins). All these fins are white, yellow, or silver. There is no extra fin behind its back fin. Its tail fin is notched and symmetrical. This means both parts of the tail are the same size and shape.

Where Do Northern Redbelly Dace Live?

The northern redbelly dace lives across a wide area. You can find it from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Canada. Its range then curves west through southern Canada. It also lives in the northern and north-central United States. This includes states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. It even reaches north to British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.

In the United States, they are found in many states. These include Maine, New Hampshire, and New York. They also live in North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and Colorado.

This dace prefers cool, calm, and swampy streams and lakes. In small streams, they like clear, cool water from springs. They avoid strong currents. They also like places with good hiding spots. These can be undercut banks or thick plants. They prefer areas with few large fish that might eat them. Small lake habitats are similar. They are usually clear and fed by springs. They have lots of plants, especially near the shore. These lakes also have few predatory fish.

In some states where they are rare, they only live in very cold places. These are often the very start of clear streams or spring-fed pools. These spots offer cold water, much like conditions from long ago when glaciers were nearby. Human activities have reduced these cold-water streams. This means less good habitat for this northern fish.

What Do Northern Redbelly Dace Eat?

The northern redbelly dace mostly eats tiny algae and diatoms. These are like very small water plants. They also eat tiny water animals called zooplankton. Sometimes, they eat small water insect larvae.

Other animals like to eat the northern redbelly dace. These predators include other fish. Birds like kingfishers and ducks, especially mergansers, also hunt them. In small lakes where there are no big fish predators, the dace eats plankton. But in larger lakes, they stay hidden in thick plants near the shore. Here, they have to share food with other minnows.

Why Are Northern Redbelly Dace Important to Humans?

The northern redbelly dace is important to people in a few ways. Many anglers (people who fish) in Ontario use them as popular baitfish. This gives them a direct economic value.

Also, as a minnow, it plays a key role in the food chain. It eats algae, which are primary producers. Then, the dace itself becomes food for other animals. These include larger fish and water birds. Many of these larger animals are hunted or fished by people. So, the dace helps support these game animals.

Conservation Status of the Northern Redbelly Dace

In Canada, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and the New England States, the northern redbelly dace populations are doing well. They are considered stable. However, in places like Nebraska, Colorado, and South Dakota, they are more vulnerable. This is because of changes that happened after the last ice age.

Sadly, the northern redbelly dace is endangered in some states, like Massachusetts. We don't know all the reasons for their decline. But possible threats include dirt washing into streams (erosion and sedimentation). Changes in water flow can also harm them.

Reproduction and Life Cycle of the Northern Redbelly Dace

Northern redbelly dace become old enough to have babies when they are two or three summers old. They can live for up to eight years. They start laying eggs in the spring, usually around May. This continues until early August. Adult fish can lay eggs many times during one season.

Their eggs are not sticky. They are laid among stringy algae. The eggs hatch about eight to ten days later. This happens when the water temperature is between 21 and 27 degrees Celsius (70-80 degrees Fahrenheit).

Trivia About the Northern Redbelly Dace

The northern redbelly dace has very clear and bright markings. This is especially true during the breeding season. These markings make it easy to spot. In fact, many people think this dace is one of the most beautiful native minnows.

Etymology of the Name "Dace"

The word "dace" first appeared in the early 1400s. It came from an old French word, "darz." This word means "to dart." The fish was named this because of how it moves quickly. Another idea is that it comes from a Medieval Latin word, "darsus." This also means "to dart" and might have come from an old Gaulish language.