The trispot darter lives in Georgia’s Conasauga River, but that’s not where it lays its eggs. The shiny orange fish with turquoise spots swims up into small streams to spawn.
“It’s kind of an amazing trek it has to make to get up to its headwaters, so anything that obstructs its path is going to prevent it from spawning,” said Jeff Powell, an assistant field supervisor at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
That’s the main reason why the fish is in trouble; things like dams or culverts under roads block its way. Powell said low water levels can affect the trispot darter, too, since if the stream is too low, it can’t get where it’s trying to go.
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