Minnow

A minnow is a little freshwater Eurasian fish that belong to the carp family and it typically forms large shoals. Also, the minnow is a common name for various species of freshwater wish belonging to the genera of the family Cyprinidae. In Ireland, they are called “Pinkeens.” 

Often called the small cyprinid, killifish, or a  top minnow, a minnow fish is any of various small fishes that are less than a designated size and are not game fish.

However, smaller fishes in the subfamily Leuciscinae are called by anglers to be "true" minnows.

The history and etymology of a minnow fish state that in Middle English, the word “menawe,” akin to the Old English word “myne minnow,” resembled the Old High German munewa name, a kind of fish.

Besides etymology, minnows bear a scientific classification, types, threats, conservation status, characteristics, like physical features, appearance, feeding behaviour, and distribution, which we will discuss on this page along with the amazing minnow fish facts.

What is A Minnow Fish?

The Eurasian minnow, minnow, or a common minnow (also known as Phoxinus phoxinus) is a small species of freshwater fish that is a species of genus Phoxinus. It is present throughout much of Eurasia, stretching from Britain and Spain to eastern Siberia, preferably in cool (12–20 °C, or 53.6–68 °F) streams and well-oxygenated ponds and lakes. It is observed for being a sociable species, shoaling in large numbers.

Now, let us have a look at the minnow fish scientific classification:

Scientific Classification of Minnow Fish

Minnow Fish Physical Description

A Minnow fish is a little fish that reaches the maximum total length of 14 centimeters (5.5 in), however, is ordinarily around 7 centimeters (2.8 in) long. 

It has 3 spines and 6–8 delicate rays in its dorsal fins with 3 spines and 6–8 delicate rays in its anal fins. Its spine is formed of 38–40 vertebrae. It is recognized from similar species which habitats in Europe by having the lateral line ordinarily reaching out past the nase of the anal fin, by a line of upward extended blotches along the sidelong line each with a profundity identical to 1/3–1/2 of the body's profundity at the same position, these blotches often fuse to shape a mid-lateral stripe, caudal peduncle has a profundity of 2.6–3.1 times its length. 

The scales on the bosom are sketchy and the patches of scales are isolated by unscaled areas in spite of the fact that they are infrequently associated by 1–2 columns of scales. Its nose length is 29–34% of the head length and is 1.1–1.4 occasions the measurement of the eye. The butt-centric blade has its starting point before the foundation of the last dorsal beam. The caudal blade comprises 19 delicate rays.[2] The back is typically earthy-green, and is isolated from the whitish-dim underside by the lateral stripe or blotches portrayed previously.

Minnow Characteristics

Minnow fish (Phoxinus phoxinus) is very good at hiding. These species eat most baits, but because of their size, small baits and hooks are a must.

This popular species resembles a tiny version of your typical “fish.” It has silvery coloured scales and a torpedo-shaped body structure. Their upper, or dorsal, the side has a darker tone than their under, or ventral, side. Most species measure between three to four inches long.

Now, talking about the minnow characteristics, we have the following list of characteristics:

• Appearance

• British record

• Lateral line scale count

• Lifespan

• How To Catch A Minnow?

Appearance

Minnow is unmistakable in appearance with green to dark olive sides, for the most part with a striped banding like perch. They have a short, adjusted dorsal fin and an upturned mouth. Female minnows have a white glossy belly though males have a red stomach and red pelvic fins. Often the male minnow can be mistaken for a three-spined stickleback.

British Record

As per the British record committee 2015, minnows have a British record of 13.5 DMS.

Lateral Line Scale Count

The lateral line scale count is between 80 and 95; this is the dark row of scales beside the central length of the fish's body.

Life Span 

Minnows have a lifespan of two to four years.

How to Catch A Minnow?

We can find minnows in most slack waters and back eddies of the river system. These fishes are a primary food source for many predators. A shallow place with low flows and cover is a good place to catch a minnow. Minnows prefer baits, however, due to their size, to catch them small baits and hooks are a must. Some of the good baits to attract and catch minnows are Squatts, pinkies, and maggots, etc.

Different Types of Minnows

Below are the different types of minnows:

• Top Minnow

• Bluntnose minnow

• Common shiner 

• Common emerald shiner 

Now, let us discuss the types of minnows one by one in detail.

Top Minnow (Poeciliopsis Occidentalis)

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A jeopardized minnow species which are discovered essentially in southern New Mexico and Arizona. The drop in the topminnow populace can be connected to the presentation of the normal mosquitofish. This kind of minnow develops to a length of 6 cm (2+1⁄2 in) with the females developing to be bigger than the guys. During seasons of reproducing guys become dark while females and non-rearing guys are tan or olive-green. The eating regimen of the topminnow comprises of base flotsam and jetsam, vegetation, and little shellfish. 

Bluntnose Minnow (Pimephales Notatus)

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The bluntnose minnow is an essential lure fish for Northern America and has a high capacity to bear variable water characteristics, which helps its dispersion all through numerous regions. The bluntnose minnow’s nose overhangs the mouth, giving it the bluntnose. There is a dull parallel line that extends from the opercle to the foundation of the tail, where a huge dark spot is found. The normal size of the grown-up is around 5 cm (2 in). 

Common Shiner Minnow (Notropis Corrnutus)

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These fishes are quite possibly the most widely recognized sort of attractive fish and are only stream dwellers. The common shiner can be distinguished by the nine rays on its anal fin and terminal mouth. This minnow is normally somewhat blue silver on the sides and greenish-blue on the back., save for breeding season in which case the male acquires a rose-hued tail and anal fin. 

The shiner develops around 5–10 cm (2–4 in) inside one year and arrives at a size of 13 cm (5 in) in adulthood. The other common "shiner" attractive fish is the young form of the European chub (Leuciscus cephalus or Squalius cephaloides), which is very simple to catch. The Notropis potteri is also known as the chub shiner. 

Common Emerald Shiner (Notropis Atherinoides) 

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Common shiners are generally bountiful in the Great Lakes of North America, fundamentally Lake Erie. The name of the emerald shiner comes from the greenish emerald band that grows from the rear of the gill cover to the tail. This kind of minnow has a short, adjusted nose, the solitary distinction between the normal emerald shiner and the silver shiner is that the silver shiner has a more extended nose and a bigger eye. These fish develop to a normal length of around 6 cm. This is quite possibly the most widely recognized trap fish utilized in the Lake Erie area of Ohio and numerous anglers hold it over any remaining snare.

Mud Minnow

Mud minnows are among the several hardy fishes of the family Umbridae and order Esociformes. They are found in cool, mud-bottomed ponds, lakes, and streams of southeastern Europe and North America, so they are called mud minnows.  

They are pikelike fishes with rounded snouts and tails, also mud minnows are 7.5 to 15 cm (3 to 6 inches) long. Frequently, they bury themselves in the mud and survive in water too low in oxygen to support other fishes.

Around seven so species belong to the genera Umbra, Novumbra, and Dallia. In North America, the eastern mud minnow (U. pygmaea) is often called rockfish, and the central mud minnow (U. limi) mudfish or dogfish. Often mud minnows are used as the minnow bait and are kept in home aquariums.

Minnow Fish Distribution and Habitat

A little fish, like a minnow, can survive in various habitat types, even in low-oxygenated ponds or lakes, as well. You can find them in various habitats, like lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, creeks, marshes, and freshwater habitats.

Frequently, the habitat in areas that are less hospitable to other fishes, including predators. Meaning, they are so tough that can survive in variable-oxygenated areas temperature, pH, and salinity.

Distribution of the Minnow

In the lakes of North America, minnow species are widespread throughout freshwater habitats. Their range stretches from the tough habitats in Northern Canada to Northern Mexico. Also, you can find them all around Canada on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, and the Central and Eastern United States.

Minnow Fish Diet and Behaviour

This socialized little fish lives in schools. Amazingly, just like ants, these individuals within a school recognize each other using chemical cues. Using these chemical cues, they can tell distinguish the member of their school and a stranger. They also use chemicals called pheromones, while breeding.

What Do Minnows Eat?

In the wild, these fish eat an assortment of things, including creepy crawlies, crayfish, brackish water shrimp, plant material, and fish eggs. Minnows kept in bondage eat green growth, phytoplankton, and zooplankton from their tanks or lakes. They additionally eat commercial fish food, including minnow food, catfish food, and tropical fish food.

Minnow Fish Threats And Predators

Minnows are more reproductively tough than anticipated.[by whom?] Generally, minnows breed with the smallest precipitation and inside a wide temperature range. In opposition to the long-standing assumptions, environmental change presents an 'immaterial' danger to the minnows' generation. Likewise, they are adaptable in accomplishing pre-bringing forth wellness, which settles on them to stay away from 'skipped producing' choices while confronting climatic changeabilities. 

Do Minnows Really Exist?

The phrase ‘more species, more problems’ is very common…well, researchers say that they’ve got lots of problems. The minnow family-Cyprinidae (Sy-Prin-I-Dee)-is not limited but the largest freshwater fish in the world, boasting above 3,000 species from ~370 genera.

However, because of the huge diversity, often minnows are one of the most misunderstood groups of fish on the Earth. As a scientist who has spent a career largely on minnow research, while plenty of time addressing many misconceptions about minnows described the four common ones below:

All Small Fishes Are Minnows!

All small freshwater fishes are minnows. Over the years, the term ‘minnow’ has become a conversational expression for any tiny fish in any waterbody. A few freshwater non-minnow species even have the word ‘minnow’ in their common name—for example, mud minnows and top minnows, which belong to the family Umbriidae of (Um-bri-dee) and Fundulidae (Fundulidae, Fun-doo-li-dee), respectively. While other small and silvery fishes can appear like minnows including silversides (Atherinopside Ath-er-in-ops-i-dee) or even small shads (of the herring family Clupeidae, Clu-pee-i-dee).

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Carps Are Suckers!

In reality, carps are minnows, and suckers are individuals from a totally unique family: Catostomidae (Cat-O-Stom-I-Dee). Notwithstanding, in light of the fact that they do share some ancestry, carps can look like some sucker species like buffaloes or Quillback. Both have strong bodies, goldish earthy-coloured tones, and thick scales. Be that as it may, Common Carp and Goldfish both have hard and prickly first dorsal fins (all suckers don't). 

Additionally, common carps have a barbel (everything suckers don't). Grass carp may likewise superficially take after some Redhorse species since they are extended. Be that as it may, redhorses have downturned (substandard/subterminal) mouths while Grass Carp have straight (terminal) mouths.

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Marine Minnows

Most true minnow species cannot withstand high salinity, out of these some can survive in brackish zones, which means that marine minnows do not exist. Yet, ‘minnows’ are well-known baitfish in coastal fisheries. These species called Mummichogs (a killifish, family Fundulidae) are considered “minnows for sale” live. 

Other species ‘Cigar minnows’ are popular baitfish among marine anglers; also, they are called “minnow bait” because they are usually caught live and used in bottom fishing. However, these species are Round Scad that belongs to the family Carangidae (Ca-ran-gid-ee)—along with pompanos, jacks, Lookdowns, etc.

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Minnows, Shiners, and Chubs Are All The Same - What’s The Difference?

Minnows, shiners, and chubs are just words that have been exchanged between various genera as general terminologies for various minnow species. For instance, common names of several species belonging to the same genus end with ‘minnow’, ‘shiner’, or ‘chub,’ however, a genus of ‘true chubs’ (Nocomis) and ‘creek chubs’ (Semotilus) also exists.

And if you can imagine any other ubiquitous cyprinid scenarios or some misplaced minnow misconceptions, just consider minnow.

Minnow Fish Interesting Facts

What could be more harmless than a Minnow? It's an itty bitty fish that virtually eats everything for supper. Now, let’s get familiar with what makes these little fish fascinating, beneath with the following facts:

Food for thought – By its little size, you may figure that pretty much everything eats this fish, and you'd be correct! Nonetheless, did you realize that this fish is likewise a typical feeder fish in home aquariums? 

Dainty Pets – Outside of the feeder fish market, humans likewise keep these little fish as pets. The ruddy red shaded strain of this fish is a typical choice for little fish tanks. People keep them in little schools. 

Parental Investment – Scientists perceive many various species in the Cyprinidae family. In any case, this species is one of the not very few that secures their eggs as opposed to forsaking them. The male cautiously watches his nest of eggs. 

Extreme Cookie – You may be amazed that this little fish is entirely tough. Long after different species have died from the absence of oxygen, contamination, or helpless pH, this fish endures. Along these lines, scientists can consider the natural effects of contamination and garbage removal to more readily see how it impacts the ecosystem.

The term minnow refers to tiny, silvery fishes, which is the largest and most ecologically diversified family of fishes found in the United States and North America. Between 230-290 of the 2,100 or so minnow species reside in North America. These freshwater fish species prefer a broad range of habitats beyond their ranges.