The highfin carpsucker (Carpiodes velifer) is a freshwater fish found in the southeastern and midwestern United States. Its usual habitat is medium to large-size rivers where it is mostly found 1 to 3 metres (3 to 10 ft) beneath the surface. It is a silvery fish with a prominent dorsal fin, which grows to an average length of 26.5 centimetres (10 in). It reaches sexual maturity at the age of three and females lay a clutch of about two dozen eggs once a year in the spring or early summer. This fish forages on sandy or gravelly bottoms for such small invertebrates as crustaceans, protozoa and mollusks as well as filamentous algae. Young fish are preyed on by northern pike, muskellunge, walleye and largemouth bass and larger fish are caught by recreational fishernen. The highfin carpsucker co