Reference Guide > Montana Fish Field Guide > Suckers > River Carpsucker
River Carpsucker - Carpiodes carpio
Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S5
Agency Status
USFWS: none
USFS: none
BLM: none
CFWCS Tier: 3
General Description
The river carpsucker has a widespread distribution in warm-water prairie streams, rivers and reservoirs. Only a few individuals reach the largest weight of about 10 pounds. All suckers have long intestines, which is an adaptation for processing detritus and plant material in addition to the insects, snails and clams they pick up from stream and lake bottoms. The chief value of suckers is as forage and bait for sport fishes. Most fishermen believe that suckers compete with trout, but most species of fish that have evolved together as these have developed mechanisms to minimize competition. River carpsuckers are occasionally caught on hook and line.
Diagnostic Characteristics
Sides silvery, back brown to olive, underside white. Lower fins white.
Distribution
Montana Range
Migration
May make extensive spawning runs to larger tributary streams e.g., Marias River, Tongue River.
Habitat
Reservoirs and the pools and backwaters of rivers. Spawn in larger streams with backwater areas.
Food Habits
Mostly diatoms and filamentous algae from the stream bottom, but also aquatic invertebrate larvae make up a large portion of the diet..
Ecology
Downstream portions of Yellowstone River important as rearing areas. A schooling fish.
Reproductive Characteristics
Spawns May - July over vegetation along shorelines of reservoir and quiet areas of streams. Incubation: 8-15 days. Sexually mature at 2-3 yrs. Spawn peaks in June on middle Missouri River.
Citations & Sources
Holton, G. D. 2003. A field guide to Montana fishes. Mont. Dept. Fish, Wildl. Parks, 95 pp.
Citation for data on this website:
River Carpsucker — Carpiodes carpio. Montana Field Guide. Retrieved on January 31, 2009, from http://FieldGuide.mt.gov/detail_AFCJC01010.aspx
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