General Description: Red Shiners (Cyprinella lutrensis) grow to about 3-inches long. These little fish are silvery overall with a forked tail. The snout is somewhat pointed, and the mouth is terminal. In males, the top of the head and fins become red during the breeding season.

This is an invasive species that is causing serious damage to our local fish species in the Virgin River system. These fish are highly adaptable to changing water temperatures and water chemistry, more so than the native species, and combined with a huge breeding potential, are out-competing and contributing to the extinction of native species. People should never use this species for aquarium fish or bait fish in the Virgin River system.

Taxonomy: Minnow and Carp Family (Cyprinidae)

Diet: Omnivorous. Feeds on invertebrates, detritus, and algae in the water column and on the bottom.

Preferred Habitat: Flowing water. These fish are widely distributed in the southern Great Plains and south into Mexico. In the west, they have been introduced into the Colorado River drainage system, probably as bait fish.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, look for these fish in the Virgin River and tributaries to the Colorado River, such as in Coyote Gulch in southern Utah.