It inhabits rocky pools and nearby riffles of flowing waters up to the size of small rivers.

The spottail darter takes its common name from the three spots at the base of the caudal fin.

[3] The spottail darter inhabits quiet rocky pools of headwaters, creeks, and small rivers with either large flat rocks or with bedrock bottom; individuals hide in crevices and under ledges, and they may be in quiet riffles in late summer when water in pools is too low to provide cover.

[1] The Spottail darter is currently of relatively low conservation concern and does not require significant additional protection or major management, monitoring, or research action.

[1] The spottail darter was first formally described in 1877 by the American ichthyologist David Starr Jordan (1851–1931) with the type locality given as Russellville in Logan County, Kentucky.