Mountain Redbelly Dace

Identifying Characteristics

• Small bodied with fine scales
• A dark midline striped that is misaligned under the dorsal fin
• Small blotches along the dorsum of the body
• A small, nearly terminal mouth
• Nuptial males exhibit vibrant red along the belly, with yellow to chartreuse fins

Leuciscidae Characteristics and Anatomical Terms

Illustrations by ©Makayla Haggard – DWR

Distribution

Mountain Redbelly Dace are native to many of Virginia’s streams spanning the Piedmont, Ridge and Valley, and even into portions of the Coastal Plain ecoregions. They have been unintentionally introduced into the Holston and Big Sandy watersheds of southwest Virginia, likely a result of discarded live bait. Anglers are reminded that it is illegal to stock fish into a public body of water without an authorization from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

Diet

Mountain Redbelly Dace are trophic generalists and will feed on items that are most available in their immediate environment at that time. This means their diet can range from being dominated by algae and detritus to other organisms such as small aquatic macroinvertebrates.

Habitat

Mountain Redbelly Dace thrive in free-flowing streams with complex habitats in the form of silt-free gravel, submerged aquatic vegetation, and woody debris. They require clean water with ample amounts of dissolved oxygen, and therefor do well in medium-sized streams with moderate flows throughout a network of riffles, runs, and pools that they can utilize at various life stages.

A small stream in Virginia’s piedmont where Mountain Redbelly Dace have been documented.

Reproduction

Mountain Redbelly Dace reproduce in Virginia waters from April to June. Spawning typically occurs on the gravel nest sites of mound builders such as the Bluehead Chub. Males show territorial behavior during spawning, but will often swarm a single female when they enter the nesting location. As other species are often present at these same sites, some introgression occurs due to synchronous spawning strategies.

Mountain Redbelly Dace intermixed with several Crescent Shiners atop a Chub mound. Photo by ©Dustin Branch