Its preferred habitat is rocky and sandy pools and runs of headwaters, creeks and small rivers.

[4] Class: Actinopterygii, Order: Cypriniformes, Family: Leuciscidae, Genus: Luxilus, Species: L. zonatus.

The bleeding shiner was originally classified as Alburnus zonatus by Louis Agassiz in a paper published by F. W. Putnam in 1863.

[2] Originally the now distinct species of L. zonatus and N. pilsbryi were considered to be synonymous, but after carefully observing the morphological evidence they were added to the Luxilus genus.

A key difference between this fish and similar minnows is the stripe on the side of the bleeding shiner abruptly narrows directly after the operculum, then widens again down the length of the body to the caudal fin.

[6][4] The bleeding shiner feeds upon insects and small invertebrates that can be found upon the water's surface or that are being carried by the current.

Bleeding shiners have terminal oblique mouths that allow for them to easily eat food from the surface of the water.

The bleeding shiner prefers to reside in slow flowing streams and rivers that are less than 8 inches (203 mm) deep.

Since the bleeding shiner has vibrant red fins during breeding season they are commonly used in freshwater aquariums.