A broad dark lateral stripe is usually present and a black spot on the base of the tail. There is sometimes a dark stripe along the middle of the lower half of the sides. Spawning sites are referred to as the nest. These are usually a few inches in diameter, and located in quiet areas of pools of depths 1-4 inches. The female enters the nest repeatedly, depositing eggs each time until she has finished spawning.
Males then swim over the nest and deposit sperm on the eggs.
Activity then shifts to new nests. Females generally become sexually mature at 2 years. The Nevada speckled dace is insectivorous, consuming large numbers of small dipterons. It also feeds on plant material. The Jack Rabbit Springs and the Big Spring systems provide the most stable habitat for R. O. nevadensis.