Conchos Pupfish

Cyprinodon eximius

Cyprinodontidae · freshwater water fish

2 minute read · Species guide

Conchos Pupfish field guide illustration

About Conchos Pupfish

Conchos pupfish inhabit river margins and sheltered backwaters in the Rio Grande region.

Natural history

FishBase lists sloughs and the edges of small to medium rivers as adult habitat and specifically notes avoidance of hot springs. The pupfish name should therefore not be taken as evidence that this species is a hot-water specialist.

Its range includes the Rio Grande between the Devils River and the mouth of the Rio Conchos, together with the Rio Conchos system and the closed Rio Sauz basin in Mexico. The account treats it as a small freshwater fish, reaching about five centimetres total length.

Sources: Cyprinodon eximius species summary

Guide sources

Research reviewed 2026-10-19.

Diet and feeding

The FishTraits compilation records these diet categories for this species: algae or phytoplankton; aquatic or other vascular plants; detritus or unidentified plant material. These are broad categories, not a claim that every individual consumes every example in a category.

Reported feeding positions include bottom feeding and surface or water-column feeding. The compilation combines published observations; diets can vary with age, locality, and available food.

Habitat preferences

Reported habitat associations include streams and small rivers, creeks.

The source records associations with muck, clay or silt, sand, gravel, cobble, bedrock, vegetation. An association indicates reported use, rather than an exclusive requirement.

Reproduction and parental care

Batch or serial spawning has been reported somewhere in the species’ range. This does not establish the same spawning pattern for every population.

Recorded spawning months are Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug for the source’s reporting region (MEX). This is a regional calendar, not a range-wide schedule.

Size and recorded longevity

FishTraits reports a maximum total length of 4.6 centimetres. Some entries use an estimated asymptotic length; this value should not be treated as a certified record catch.

Range

Where it lives

Share of 92 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 1 states.
0%
100%
Share of 92 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 1 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water
WoRMS records this species in fresh water.
Migration
Not migratory

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Superclass
Actinopterygii
Class
Teleostei
Order
Cyprinodontiformes
Genus
Cyprinodon
Species
Cyprinodon eximius
ITIS TSN
165635
WoRMS AphiaID
1021265
GBIF key
2347914

Common questions about Conchos Pupfish

What is the scientific name of Conchos Pupfish?
The scientific name is Cyprinodon eximius, in the family Cyprinodontidae. Classification follows ITIS.
Does Conchos Pupfish live in fresh water or salt water?
WoRMS records this species in fresh water.
Where has Conchos Pupfish been recorded in the United States?
GBIF has observations in 1 states, with the most records in Texas. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives

Other Cyprinodon species

Same family

More Cyprinodontidae