Slender chub

The spotfin chub was listed as threatened in 1977 due to degradation or outright destruction of their habitats. River impoundments, channelization, pollution, siltation, and temperature change all contribute to the species decline. It is a member of the Cyprinidae fish family, which is also home to minnows and carp. Cyprinidae is both the largest and most diverse fish family, and the largest vertebrate animal family.

The species historical range included Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia. See below for information about where the species is known or believed to occur.

Habitat Requirements

Relatively low-silt substrates in good flows; forages commonly on bedrock, boulders, cobble. Generally schools with white-tailed shiners and other mid-water species, but generally remains close to the bottom. Sub-adult chubs appear more commonly on smaller substrates like sand and small gravel than do adults.

Food Habits

Small insect larvae, predominantly chironomid; some mayflies. Unlike most other cyprinids (shiners), feeds benthically on relatively silt-free substrates, using a head-oriented-down poster and a sewing-machine-like motion to pick larvae.

Movement / Home Range

The spotfin chub is native to the Tennessee River drainage, which includes portions of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. The spotfin chub was known historically from twelve Tennessee River tributaries. Today it survives in four isolated tributary systems – the Buffalo River, Lewis County, Tennessee; Emory River (including the Obed River, Clear Creek, and Daddy's Creek), Morgan, Cumberland, and Fentess Counties, Tennessee; North Fork Holston River, Hawkins and Sullivan Counties, Tennessee, and Scott and Washington Counties, Virginia; the Little Tennessee River, Macon and Swain Counties, North Carolina; and the Cheoah River, Graham County, North Carolina. In fall and winter, primarily young individuals will move up small tributary streams from source mainstem populations (e.g., Little Tennessee R., NC). Spawning probably does not occur in small tributaries.

Reproductive Strategy

Spotfin chubs spawn May through August based on water temperature and length of day. Females deposit eggs in crevices between rocks. Some individuals may spawn at one year, however most spotfin chubs reach sexual maturity at two years. Spotfin chubs typically do not live past three years. Nuptial males highly territorial, defending prime spawning sites from rival males.

Other

Population size appears to fluctuate fairly significantly based on multi-year sampling in Little Tennessee R., NC. Interrelationships between the seasonality of flows and temperature probably dictate recruitment and ultimately overall population size year to year. Year 9 of a 10-year population monitoring study in the Little Tennessee R. has been completed (August 2015).