Habitat

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Northern Redbelly Dace are a minnow species found across the Northern United States and Canada. In Colorado, Northern Redbelly Dace had only one naturally remaining population when they were listed as a species of concern to the state by 2015. The last native population in Colorado held out in West Plum Creek, south of the Chatfield Reservoir, to inspire the recovery effort that is now underway.

The native species prefers shallow, slow-moving creeks or ponds with cold, clear waters. Adult Northern Redbelly Dace tend to thrive at cooler water temperatures between 50-60 °Fahrenheit but can survive overwinter at much lower temperatures. As site-feeders, good water quality is crucial to Northern Redbelly Dace species success, which makes them an ideal indicator species for habitat quality in a variety of freshwater aquatic conservation efforts across the Front Range of Colorado.

Ideal habitat for the species also includes plenty of protective structure for the colorful minnow. Wild, grown over areas with plenty of native vegetation, boulders, logs, and filamentous algae mats are all ideal structures for the shy dace species to seek shelter under. The absence of predatory species, whether natural or stocked game species, is also essential to the success of the species. Large piscivorous species easily decimate entire populations of dace because of their color contrast in clear waters.