▁clear ▁cre eks ▁and ▁small ▁to ▁medium ▁rivers ▁( us ually ▁stream ▁orders ▁ 3 - 5 ). ▁ ▁The ▁d arter ▁most ▁often ▁sw ims ▁in ▁mid water ▁than ▁near ▁bottom . ▁O ft ent imes ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁rest ing ▁on ▁sub mer ged ▁m ats ▁of ▁tree ▁roots ▁along ▁bank . ▁In ▁winter ▁the ▁fish ▁may ▁be ▁found ▁in ▁accum ulations ▁of ▁dead ▁leaves . ▁Sp aw ning ▁of ▁the ▁species ▁evidently ▁pe aks ▁from ▁mid - M arch ▁through ▁mid - ▁April . ▁The ▁fish ▁is ▁estimated ▁to ▁live ▁about ▁ 3 ▁years . ▁The ▁fre ck le bel ly ▁d arter ▁does ▁not ▁show ▁any ▁time ▁of ▁migration . ▁The ▁d arter ▁fe eds ▁on ▁in verte br ates ▁which ▁ ▁include ▁river ▁sn ails , ▁hydro ps ych id ▁c add isf ly ▁lar va e , ▁m idge ▁lar va e , ▁and ▁small ▁may fly ▁n ym ph s ▁such ▁as ▁ba et ids . ▁This ▁fish ▁is ▁likely ▁a ▁pre y ▁item ▁for ▁almost ▁any ▁p isc iv orous ▁fish ▁that ▁occur ▁within ▁the ▁d arter ' s ▁range , ▁such ▁as ▁L arg em outh ▁Bass , ▁Small mouth ▁Bass , ▁and ▁other ▁large ▁p isc iv ores . ▁ ▁Fish ▁with ▁similar ▁habitat ▁requirements ▁are ▁the ▁greatest ▁compet itors ▁to ▁the ▁fish . ▁It ▁seems ▁that ▁this ▁particular ▁species ▁des ires ▁cool er ▁water ▁temper atures ▁that ▁come ▁with ▁higher ▁elev ations . ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁regions ▁where ▁the ▁fish ▁exist