The river carpsucker (Carpiodes carpio) is a freshwater fish belonging to the Catostomidae that is native to the inland United States and northern Mexico.

The river carpsucker, like most suckers, is a bottom feeder and obtains its nutrients from algae, microcrustaceans, and other various tiny planktonic plants and animals found in silty substrates.

[4] The lower lip is projected in a similar fashion to a nipple at the midpoint, and big scales cover its whole body.

It also currently occupies the Gulf Slope Drainage from the Calcasieu River to the Rio Grande in Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico.

[6] In the spring, they migrate upstream as the water temperatures begin to rise, and then move back downstream after spawning.

[7] The river carpsucker is classified as a suction, or filter feeder, which means it typically eats algae and small planktonic animals and plants.

It is typically preyed on by larger carnivorous fish such as northern pike, muskellunge, walleye, and largemouth bass, but mostly in its juvenile stage.

The river carpsucker currently has no established management plans even though they are declining in Colorado,[2] are sometimes caught by commercial fisherman for food, and are increasingly being targeted by modern bowfishing for sport killing.

The world record for the species stands at 13.4 lb (6.1 kg) caught by bowfishing in North Dakota in 2021.