They will tolerate some salt, but cannot survive in muddy water. Common shiners are generally three to four inches long, but can grow as large as six inches. They have large, diamond-shaped scales covering their mostly silver bodies. During the spawning season, male common shiners develop blue backs and red bellies. Spawning occurs in late spring.
Males select nest sites at the upstream end of riffles.
Common shiners will spawn in both groups and individual pairs. These fish are known for using other minnow nests to spawn in and so hybrids are common in this species. Common shiners eat a number of different food items, including insects, fish larvae and plant material. In turn, these minnows are eaten by other fish and wildlife species, such as kingfishers, mergansers, bass, and pike. Northern pike anglers often use common shiners for bait.