Minnow

Minnow is a common name used for many species of small, freshwater fish. Most of these fish belong to the family Cyprinidae. Specifically, many belong to the subfamily Leuciscinae. Anglers often refer to the smaller fish in this subfamily as "true" minnows. In Ireland, these fish are known by the names pinkeen or pink. These small fish play a vital role in many aquatic ecosystems around the world.

Many different types of minnows have unique physical features. The bluntnose minnow, or Pimephales notatus, is a primary bait fish in North America. It has a snout that overhangs its mouth, which gives the fish its name. A dark lateral line runs along its side from the opercle to the tail. At the base of the tail, there is a large black spot. This species is very hardy and can live in many different water qualities.

Other species show distinct colors and shapes depending on their environment. The common shiner, or Notropis cornutus, lives almost exclusively in streams. It has a bluish silver body with a greenish blue back. During the breeding season, the males develop a rose-colored tail and anal fin. The common emerald shiner, or Notropis atherinoides atherinoides, is very common in the Great Lakes. It is known for a greenish emerald band that stretches from the gill cover to the tail. These fish grow to an average length of about 6 cm.

Minnows are found in a vast array of locations across the globe. In North America, the common emerald shiner is very abundant in Lake Erie. Other species live in much more distant places. The Drakensberg minnow lives in the Congo Democratic Republic. The Maluti minnow is found in Lesotho. You can even find the Falklands minnow in the Falkland Islands. There are even minnows in Southeast Asia and the Southern Hemisphere, such as those in the family Galaxiidae.

Some fish are even called minnows despite being very different from the freshwater types. In the deep sea, there are small bioluminescent bristlemouth fish called Cyclothone. These fish use light to live in the dark, deep ocean. In some cases, the pike topminnow is confused with the northern pike because of its small size. There are also many other specific types like the fathead minnow, the cheat minnow, and the ozark minnow. This shows how widely the name is used across different groups of fish.

Humans have used minnows for many different purposes throughout history. They are widely used as bait for fishing. However, some Native American cultures have also used minnows as a direct food source. If the fish are small enough, they can be eaten whole. There is even a massive operation dedicated to them. Anderson Farms in Lonoke, Arkansas, is known as the world's largest minnow farm.

Minnows are also remarkably good at surviving environmental changes. They can begin to breed with even the slightest amount of rainfall. They can also survive within a very wide range of water temperatures. This flexibility helps them stay healthy even when the climate changes. Scientists believe that climate change poses a negligible threat to their reproduction. They are very good at attaining pre-spawning fitness. This allows them to avoid making the decision to skip spawning when the weather is variable.