Spikedace are a beautiful and unique minnow native to Southern and Central Arizona. Spikedace behave like trout yet don’t get bigger than three inches long. The species was historically present in at least 20 mid-size and larger streams in the Gila River Basin of Arizona and New Mexico. However, habitat loss and competition with non-native fishes caused drastic population declines. By the 1990s, when the species was first listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, they were only present in three streams in Arizona and four streams in New Mexico. They may have disappeared in two of the Arizona streams.
Beginning in the mid 2000s, partners collaborated to protect the remaining existing populations and establish the species into new streams. Part of these efforts involved construction of fish passage barriers to prevent non-native fishes downstream from moving upstream to where Spikedace were present or where establishments were planned.
By the Numbers:
As of 2020, partners had established reproducing populations of Spikedace in two small and two large streams in Arizona and one large stream in New Mexico
The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) funded the construction of fish passage barriers on one stream in Arizona which currently hosts a natural remnant population and three other streams planned for future Spikedace establishment
Partners in Spikedace conservation include AZGFD, New Mexico Game and Fish, BLM, USFS, BOR, USFWS, The Nature Conservancy, and private landowners