Redside dace live in clean, clear small streams. They are generally found only in pool areas and do not tolerate turbidity. In New York State, redside dace occur in streams across the southern part of the State to the western Catskills, in the upper Mohawk drainage, and in the Tug Hill area. Their large mouths enable them to capture flying insects while leaping out of the water. Spawning occurs in late spring.
Redside dace are group spawners, frequently depositing their eggs in creek chub nests.
There is no parental care given either the eggs or young. Similar to stonerollers, redside dace make good environmental indicators of water quality because of their need for clean water. Spottail Shiner Silver colored fish, spottail shiners get their name from the prominent dark spot on their tails. They can live in a variety of habitats, but prefer sandy areas in large lakes and streams. Spottail shiners are found in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, the Hudson River drainage, and the Finger Lakes Region east to the Delaware and Mohawk rivers.