While investigating a creek in southern Illinois this month, I came across this distinctive fish which I had never encountered before. It is a type of minnow with a total length averaging 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 inches.
The Bleeding Shiner has an olive-brown back. Its sides are silvery with bold, black stripes extending from the tip of its snout to its tail, bordered by an iridescent golden stripe. This creature’s gill opening has a prominent, crescent-shaped, dark bar. Its belly is silvery white.
Like several other shiners found in clear Ozark streams, males sport brilliant red coloration during breeding season – especially in May and early June. Breeding males develop darker markings, and parts of their head, body, and fins turn to bright crimson. Its breeding tubercles are the largest on its head, but can also be present on the foreparts of body and on some fins.
This minnow inhabits clear, small creeks to moderately large rivers that have persistent, strong flow. It typically is found over a clean, gravelly or rocky bottom, near riffles or in pools with noticeable current. The young tend to occupy quieter water than the adults.
These fish are found in communities in the midwater. They swim together in schools along with other types of minnows for protection and safety. They prefer to reside in streams and rivers that are less than 8 inches deep. The examples I saw were in schools of over 50 fish.
The Bleeding Shiner’s large eyes suggest that this fish hunts its food primarily by sight. It feeds to a considerable extent on insects and other small invertebrates found floating on the water’s surface or drifting with the current.
This was a fun and unexpected find on my Illinois adventure.