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Photo of a Southern Redbelly Dace

Species profile

Southern Redbelly Dace

Chrosomus erythrogaster

Bony fishIUCN: Least Concern1.2K iNat observations

Identify Southern Redbelly Dace (Chrosomus erythrogaster) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app. Plus current fishing rules across 1 jurisdiction.

At a glance

Southern Redbelly Dace (Chrosomus erythrogaster) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.

Confirmed by 1,143 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Tennessee, Missouri, and Ohio the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

  • Males sport two bold dark stripes and a bright red belly during breeding season.
  • They prefer clear, cold springs and headwater streams in the central United States.
  • Southern redbelly dace are pollution-sensitive and serve as indicators of high water quality.
  • Adults rarely exceed 3 inches in total length.
  • They feed mainly on algae and microscopic organisms scraped from stream substrate.

Background

The southern redbelly dace (Chrosomus erythrogaster), is a North American species of temperate freshwater fish of the Cyprinidae family. The natural geographic range extends from Western New York to Minnesota, and south to Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Alabama. This fish prefers flowing pools of creeks and streams.

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Southern Redbelly Dace article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Frequently asked questions

What is Southern Redbelly Dace?

Southern Redbelly Dace (Chrosomus erythrogaster) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.

What is the scientific name for Southern Redbelly Dace?

Southern Redbelly Dace is Chrosomus erythrogaster.

Is Southern Redbelly Dace regulated for fishing?

Yes — Southern Redbelly Dace has fishing regulations in 1 U.S. state and/or Canadian province tracked by CatchRules. See the "Jurisdictions with rules" section above for the binding-source links.

How can I identify Southern Redbelly Dace?

Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes Southern Redbelly Dace along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.

Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.