Taillight shiner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Taillight shiner |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The taillight shiner (Notropis maculatus) is a small, shiny freshwater fish. It belongs to the minnow family. You can often find it swimming in the south-eastern United States.
Contents
Where it Lives
The taillight shiner lives in many places across the south-eastern United States. You can find it in the lower Mississippi River basin. It also lives in parts of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. This fish is found in the Sabine River in Texas. It lives all over Florida, except for the very southern tip.
Its Home
Taillight shiners like shallow, slow-moving water. Their homes include pools, rivers, lakes, or swamps. These places usually have lots of water plants. Scientists say this fish is of "least concern" for its survival. This is because it lives in many areas and has large populations.
Appearance
The taillight shiner has a long, thin body. Its snout, or nose, is rounded. Adult fish are usually about 2 to 2.5 inches long. That's about the length of your thumb!
Colors of the Shiner
Their back is a pale yellow color. Their belly is silvery white. They also have shiny silver stripes along their sides. A special black spot can be seen at the base of their tail fin. This spot looks a bit like a taillight, which is how they got their name!
Breeding Colors
During the time they reproduce, male taillight shiners change color. Their fins become blackish. Their body, head, and fins get a pink or red tint.
Behavior and Life Cycle
The taillight shiner is a schooling fish. This means they swim together in groups. They eat small crustaceans, insects, and algae.
Reproduction and Spawning
This fish lives for about one year. They start laying eggs, a process called spawning, in March. Spawning continues until early October. They like to lay their eggs near logs or other objects in the water.
They prefer water temperatures between 23 and 32 degrees Celsius (73 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit) for spawning. Young fish become adults in 6 to 9 months. This depends on how warm the water was when they hatched. A female fish usually lays between 72 and 408 eggs.
Staying Still in Water
Sometimes, taillight shiners will grab onto things with their mouths. This helps them stay in one place when the water is moving.
See also
In Spanish: Notropis maculatus para niños
