Overview
The Texas shiner is distinguished by large eyes, black lips and a clear stripe just above a black stripe along its side. The stripe is most distinct toward the rear of the fish, close to the tail fin. There are 9 rays on the anal fin. Texas shiners are predaceous and their large eyes are believed to be an adaptation for sight feeding in swift water.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Osteoglossiformes
- Family
- Cyprinidae
- Genus
- Notropis
- Species
- amabilis
Habitat
Typical Habitat includes rocky or sandy runs, as well as pools.
Diet
Texas shiners primarily feed on small insects, crustaceans, and algae found in their aquatic environments. They exhibit sight-feeding behavior, using their large eyes to spot prey in swift currents, and often feed during daylight hours in schools. This opportunistic feeding helps them thrive in varying water conditions.
Behavior
The species is typically found in schools, with individuals as large as 2.5 inches. Spawning behavior has not been studied.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.