Blue Sucker
(Cycleptus elongatus)
Blue Sucker
In Montana, blue
suckers are found
in the Missouri and
Yellowstone Rivers.
They prefer swift
current areas of
large rivers. They feed on insects in cobble
areas and then migrate upriver to congregate
in fast, rocky areas to spawn. Conservation
concerns include: habitat changes caused by
large dams that block passage to spawning
grounds, alter stream fl ow, and eliminate
peak fl ows initiating spawning
runs; channelization of large
lotic systems; and changes
in riparian habitat with less
regeneration of woody trees
and understory. Conservation
strategies include: regulating water regimes
to be more closely tied to natural water
regimes; protecting natural minimum
instream fl ow reservations; and continuing
conservation of habitats by reducing grazing
in riparian areas.
