Flannelmouth Sucker

Flannelmouth Sucker

The flannelmouth sucker is the largest native fish in the Virgin River, growing more than two feet in length and weighing more than six pounds. The flannelmouth’s thick fleshy lips contain taste buds that help it find food along the bottom of the river, including aquatic invertebrates, organic debris and algae. They are usually found in deep sandy areas of the Virgin River, but large numbers congregate in shallow gravel areas for spawning in the spring.