Utah chub facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Utah chub |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Gila
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| Species: |
atraria
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The Utah chub (Gila atraria) is a type of fish. It belongs to the minnow family, called cyprinids. This fish naturally lives in western North America. You can find many Utah chubs in the upper Snake River and all over the Lake Bonneville area.
Contents
What Does the Utah Chub Look Like?
The Utah chub has a body shape typical for minnows. Its dorsal fin is located right above its pelvic fins. This fin usually has nine rays. The fish's color can change a lot. Its back is often a shiny or olive green, sometimes even bluish or almost black.
Its sides can be silvery, brassy, or golden. Male chubs often look more golden, especially when it's time to breed. They might even have a thin golden stripe along their upper side. Their fins can be dull olive, yellow, or golden.
Size of the Utah Chub
Utah chubs can grow quite large. One was found in Bear Lake that was 56 centimeters (about 22 inches) long. It weighed 1.5 kilograms (about 3.3 pounds). However, most Utah chubs are around 40 centimeters (16 inches) long. In many places, they are typically 15–20 centimeters (6–8 inches) long.
What Do Utah Chubs Eat?
Utah chubs are omnivores. This means they eat both plants and animals. Their diet includes many different things. They eat various insects, crustacea like tiny shrimp, and snails. Sometimes, they even eat small fish or fish eggs.
Where Do Utah Chubs Live?
The Utah chub lives in many different places within its natural area. You can find them in irrigation ditches, small ponds, and large rivers and lakes. They prefer areas that have lots of plants.
They also live in salty springs found in deserts. Most chubs stay in shallow water, usually less than a meter (3 feet) deep. But one was caught in Bear Lake at a depth of 25 meters (82 feet)!
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Utah chubs lay their eggs in late spring and summer. They choose shallow water, less than a meter deep, for this. When a female is ready to lay eggs, 2 to 6 males will swim with her.
The female scatters her eggs randomly on the bottom. The males then fertilize these eggs. The eggs usually hatch in about one week. The exact time depends on how warm the water is.
Utah Chubs and People
People can easily catch Utah chubs with a fishing hook and line. However, most anglers (people who fish) do not want to catch them. They often find the chubs to be a bother when they are trying to catch trout.
Because there are so many Utah chubs, wildlife groups have even tried to reduce their numbers. But these efforts have not worked well. The chub population always grows back easily.
See also
In Spanish: Gila atraria para niños
