Desert Pupfish
Cyprinodon macularius
A small, endangered freshwater fish native to the Salton Sea basin and desert springs of Southern California and Mexico. These hardy fish can survive in extremely harsh conditions including high salinity and temperatures.
Desert Pupfish at a glance
- Scientific name
- Cyprinodon macularius
- Typical size
- 1-3 inches, less than 0.1 lbs
- Water
- Freshwater
- Habitat
- Freshwater
- Rarity in the Fishdex™
- Mythic
Habitat
Found in desert springs, pools, and tributaries in the Colorado River basin. Due to their small size (typically under 3 inches) and protected status, they are not targeted by anglers and are primarily of conservation and scientific interest.
Catch one and it is yours
Log a desert pupfish through the Cobia Camera and this entry fills in with your photo, your personal best, and the exact conditions on the day. The app also carries the slot and season rules for wherever you are standing.
How the Fishdex™ worksDesert Pupfish questions people ask
Desert Pupfish is Cyprinodon macularius.
A typical desert pupfish runs 1-3 inches, less than 0.1 lbs. Cobia records the length and weight of every desert pupfish you log and keeps your personal best on its Fishdex entry.
Found in desert springs, pools, and tributaries in the Colorado River basin. Due to their small size (typically under 3 inches) and protected status, they are not targeted by anglers and are primarily of conservation and scientific interest. It is a fresh water species, filed under freshwater in the Fishdex.
Yes. Log one through the Cobia Camera and this entry fills in with your own photo, your personal best, and the conditions on the day you caught it. The app also carries the slot limits and season dates for wherever you are standing. It is free.
Tomorrow morning starts tonight
Set your home water, pick a drive radius, and wake up to a plan.
Android coming soon
iPhone, iOS 17 or later. Setup takes about a minute.