The Sacramento Blackfish is native to the Sacramento-San Jaquine System and has an elongated (up to 18"), round, slightly compressed body. It's back is dark olive to dark gray with lighter sides (young blackfish are a more overall silver). This minnow is also equipped with a flattened head, fairly large fins, nine to eleven dorsal rays, small-upturned mouth and a deeply forked caudal fin.Sacramento blackfish inhabit the shallow and warm waters (little or no current) of lakes, streams, sloughs and reservoirs throughout California and Nevada. Like the carp, it spawns in shallows and is a prolific egg producer. A seventeen inch female will release as many as 350,000 eggs. The blackfish is among North American cyprinids that's predominantly a filter feeder. This fish is commonly sold live at Oriental markets, such as fish markets in San Francisco.
