Carp & Sucker
Colorado Pikeminnow
Ptychocheilus lucius
FreshwaterCyprinidaeEndangered
About
The Colorado Pikeminnow is the largest member of the minnow family in North America. It is a long-lived, predatory fish with a streamlined body, adapted for swift swimming in rivers. They are opportunistic feeders, changing their diet as they grow.
- Average size
- 12-24 inches, up to 5 lbs (historically larger, up to 6 feet and 80 lbs)
- Colors
- Olive-green to brownish on the back, silvery sides, and a white belly. Fins are typically dusky or yellowish.
- Diet
- Young pikeminnow feed on insects and small invertebrates. Adults primarily consume fish, including smaller members of their own species.
- Region
- Colorado River Basin in the southwestern United States, including parts of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Wyoming.