Rainbow shiner
(Notropis chrosomus)
General data
Scientific names:
Rainbow shiner
Habitat:
Freshwater
Climate:
Subtropical
Native:
North America
Distribution:
Mobile river
The rainbow shiner (Notropis chrosomus) is a North American species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis.
The rainbow shiner has a length of 5 to 8 centimeters. It has translucent color from pink to golden with a silver-black stripe along its flanks. The base of its fins are of a reddish color. Adult males change their color during the mating period. Their ventral fins become blue, their head turns purple and their nose turns red.
The rainbow shiner was originally endemic to the Mobile River system, where it can be found in small clear rivers of drainage areas of the Alabama, Coosa and Black Warrior rivers in particular. Now it also appears in some rivers in Tennessee and is a popular pet fish for aquariums and ponds.
