Species Spotlight:
Golden Redhorse Moxostoma erythrurum
 
The golden redhorse is a fish species that can be found in freshwater streams, creeks, and rivers with varied substrates in the eastern half of North America. In a pool, they are generally found over sand and silt. Occasionally they have been seen living in lakes or larger reservoirs fed by a stream or river. In Tulsa, this species of fish is only found in one or two creeks in our area. Compared to other redhorse species, the golden redhorse can survive in many different qualities of water. Therefore, they are not good indicators of water quality.
Golden redhorses average around 12 to 18 inches long and weigh between one and two pounds. The golden scales decorating its sides give the fish its name. They have olive backs, white bellies, and slate gray tail fins. They have a spindle-shaped body that allows them to fight against currents in streams to capture their prey. It has an inferior or downward turned mouth. It is a bottom-feeding species that can extend its mouth to suck up food objects from the stream bed.