LONGNOSE DACE 



LIFE HISTORY 



Description. — The lonfjiiose dace 

 lias an elongate and cylindrical 

 body. The color is olive <;reen to 

 brown above, with dark blotches on 

 the sides, an indistinct lateral band, 

 and pale beneath. The upper jaw 

 extends considerably beyond the 

 lower one. In this fish, the air 

 bladder is rudimentary or not fully 

 developed. 



While the lontifnose dace reaches 

 5 inches, the <i:rowth is very slow. 

 Studies in Minnesota indicate the 

 longnose is 1.9 inches at the end of 

 the first year, 2.4 at the end of the 

 second, 2.9 at the end of the third, 

 ^>.4 at the end of the fourth, and 

 0.9 inches at the end of the fifth 

 year. The fish for this study were 

 collected in southern Minnesota 

 trout streams. 



Ranije and hreeding habits. — 

 This species ranges from coast to 

 coast in northern North America, 

 and southward in the interior to 

 Iowa, and along the mountains to 

 North Carolina, and also to north- 



ern Mexico. It is found in small 

 to moderate-sized streams, and is 

 scarce or lacking in lakes. Usually 

 found with the blacknose dace, its 

 habitat preferences may be consid- 

 ered similar to that species. 



The longnose dace breeds in 

 A])ril and May over sand or gravel 

 bottom in clean, swift streams. 

 During this period the males have 

 considerable red on head, sides, 

 and fins. 



Food. — The food of 186 long- 

 nose dace from Minnesota trout 

 streams was chironomid fiy larvae 

 and i)upae, 48 percent; simuliid 

 larvae and ])upae, 23.2 percent; 

 ephemerid nymphs, miscellaneous 

 iiisects. 0.2 percent ; annelid worms, 

 1 percent; algae, 0.8 percent; and 

 debris, 5.8 percent. 



Importance. — Like the blacknose 

 dace, the longnose dace is used by 

 anglers for bass and catfish bait. 

 This minnow has been propagated 

 at least once in Minnesota and 

 seems to do well in long, narrow 

 ponds supplied with a very small 

 amount of running water. 



FINESCALE DACE 9U\\\e neogaea 



Also called Rainbow Chub. 



107 



