Jefferson City, Missouri. The Topeka shiner swims midwater or near the surface in schools. It is often found with the redfin, bigmouth, sand, common, and red shiners, and the bluntnose minnow. The Topeka shiner probably eats insects although its food habits are not well documented. They spawn over the nests of green and orangespotted sunfish.
Males are larger than females and they defend small territories around the edge of sunfish nests.
The maximum life span of the Topeka shiner is three summers. The Topeka shiner reaches a length of 0.8 to 1.6 inches by the end of its first summer of life. At the end of its second summer the Topeka shiner is 1.4 to 2.2 inches long and is sexually mature. Habitat and Distribution Topeka shiners inhabit small, quiet pools in clear upland creeks. Creek bottoms are mostly sand, gravel, or rubble.