Established in the lower Colorado River drainage (Arizona and California), in a cooling impoundment in Buncombe County (North Carolina), in the North Canadian River drainage (Ref. 5723) and the Arkansas River (Oklahoma)(Ref. 54350), and in Texas (Ref. 3, 5723). Also know from peninsular Florida (Ref. 5723), where it is the most abundant fish in the nearshore area of Lake Apopka (Ref. 42273). Reared in geothermal water in Colorado (Ref. 3). Also Ref. 2, 3, 86, 38693.