Its belly is silver gray to white in color. It usually has a dark spot near the base of its tail. Young pearl dace have a dark lateral band.
Adult males have orange-red sides below the lateral band.
The pearl dace occurs in cool bogs, ponds, lakes, creeks and clear streams. It spawns in the spring in clear water with a weak to moderate current over sand or gravel. The pearl dace is found in most of Canada and the northern United States. In South Dakota, the pearl dace has been found in cool spring sites in Todd and Tripp Counties. This is part of a relict or remnant population located in parts of South Dakota, Nebraska and northern lowa.