 Woundfin lives in part of salty streams, avoiding clear waters and rarely can be found in quieter pools.The woundfin is omnivorous, and depending on availability will feed on detritus, algae, seeds, and aquatic insects and their larvae.Historically, the woundfin also occupied the lower Colorado River from the Virgin to Yuma, Arizona, and the Gila River from Yuma to its confluence with the Salt River, but habitat destruction through water development (including eight major dams which alter flow) and the introduction of several species (particularly the red shiner ("Cyprinella lutrensis"), which competes for food and is known to prey upon the woundfin's eggs and young) have led to its extirpation in these regions as well as a decline in population in the Virgin River.