3. Common native fish in the lower Merced
and Tuolumne river systems.
Found abundantly in Yosemite Valley, it is
not native above the high waterfalls.
Sacramento Suckers are found in Tenaya
Lake
Introduced along with trout during early
fish planting operations
H I S T O R Y
4. A n a t o m y
• To 24" (60 cm). Elongated, cylindrical.
• Above olive green; yellowish below; red lateral stripe. Dorsal
fin longer than it is tall, positioned closer to tail than snout
• Green to brown back, yellow-gold to white underside
• Breeding fish develop red stripe on sides, both males and
females may develop breeding tubercles.
• Single triangular dorsal fin; tail fin forked;
• 3 widely spaced, equal-sized ventral fins:
• low pectoral and pelvic fins at mid-body,
• anal fin to rear.
• Snout protrudes.
• Thick, Fleshy lips
6. H Rocks in clear
streams
A
B
Over Sand, Gravel
I
T Lakes
A
T
7. • Sacramento suckers have a diet made up
of mostly algae, invertebrates, and
detritus.
8. • They are occasionally taken by bait fishermen using
worms, but they are usually discarded
• generally frowned upon by trout fishermen who
accuse it of eating trout eggs or disturbing the
stream bottom in which trout eggs have been laid.
What we do to them…
10. F
• Reproduce in Spring,
u a week to two
Eggs hatch in a about
weeks. n
Mouth of this bottom -dwelling,
F
freshwater fish is adapted for sucking
invertebrates aon lake bottoms.
• Suckers are believed to be of little harm
c provide food
and the young suckers
for trout. t
