Animalscaretips
Why is the Blackside dace endangered?
Blackside dace are listed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Services as Threatened, and are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Habitat degradation caused by strip mining and logging practices seem to be the leading cause of the decline in numbers of blackside dace.
What do Blackside dace eat?
Ecological Role - The blackside dace is an omnivore, feeding on algae, insects, and dead, decaying organisms. It is also a bottom feeder, taking algae from sand and rocks that lie on the stream bottom.
Where do Blackside dace live?
Description - The blackside dace is found in the 30 separate streams in the upper Cumberland River system. In Virginia, the black-side dace is know to occur only in Lee County in the Cox Creek, a tributary to the North Fork Powell River. The only other locations for this fish is in Kentucky and Tennessee.
