Among the huge variety of aquatic inhabitants, there is one interesting little fish that lives in rivers, reservoirs, ditches and swamps. This unpretentious fish is called minnow, the varieties of which differ both in size and in color. She can perfectly live in muddy waters, in polluted ponds, in marshy lakes.
Different among them are minnows, Chinese minnows, etc. There are two forms of it: lake and river.
This article below provides more detailed information about this fish: description, features, distribution and habitat, etc.
Minnow: description, photo
Small fish belongs to the carp family. In total, approximately 15 varieties of this fish stand out.
The main feature of the minnow is its color - bright, especially during the spawning period. The beautiful iridescent skin of the fish is covered with delicate small scales, and larger scales are found only on the midline of the back and belly.
The minnow is a fish that, like bitterwort and verkhovka, is one of the mostsmall. Its dimensions are only about 10-15 centimeters in length, and its weight is about 100 g. Minnow females are large in comparison with males. The latter have a more blunt nose shape and a brighter color. Males have sharp warts on their nose and head.
The minnow differs from other representatives of cyprinids in its wider body, the number of pharyngeal teeth and small scales. Therefore, this fish has its own genus - Phoxinus.
A distinctive feature of the minnow is its extraordinary diversity, in connection with which the names belladonna and buffoon are more suitable for it. Her back is greenish with burgundy tints, less often bluish, with a dark stripe along the middle of the back. The sides are yellowish-green with a golden sheen, turning closer to the belly into silver. The belly from the very lips to the caudal fin is reddish, and sometimes white (minnows of the Sviyaga River). The yellowish fins are edged with black, and their eyes are silvery with yellow.
It is difficult to accurately describe this fish by color, especially since its color can vary depending on the time of year and habitat. The most beautiful bright minnows can be observed during their spawning season.
In eastern Russia, there is another type of such fish - relatively large minnows covered with large scales. They differ in lifestyle and appearance (body shape and more blunt muzzle).
In general, the color of minnows can vary quite a lot depending on the habitat and air temperature. In terms of their color, all subspecies of this fish are different, for example, an ordinary minnowhas a lateral line that reaches only the middle of the body, which then gradually disappears.
Names of fish
Other names of the minnow are hollyak, bald, shank, shank, pied, motley, pied. They reflect the external feature of the minnow - the belly of the fish does not have scales and it has a variegated color. And in fact, in many minnows, spots of various sizes are scattered on the greenish background with a golden tint on the side of the body.
Another name for this fish is the demoiselle minnow, because some of them have bright beautiful fins.
There are minnows with such incomprehensible names: soldier, Circassian, Cossack. The shape of these fish is spindle-shaped, the head is relatively large. Their length is no more than 12 centimeters.
Distribution
Minnow is a fish widespread throughout the European part of Russia, it is also found in Siberia (in Yakutia) up to the Yenisei River basin. In Russia, this fish is often found in its fresh waters, but in the south it is slightly less than in northern waters.
A lot of fish in the mountain rivers of the Caucasus, in the Trans-Urals, in the Crimea, in the lakes of Altai. They also exist in small lakes near villages, but due to the small size of the minnow and because of the muddy water, it is difficult to see them.
In addition to the river minnow, there is also a lake minnow that lives among the vegetation in the coastal zone, where it finds its food. Moreover, it can live even in the brown water of the swamp, where there is practically no oxygen. The lake minnow is found in lakes that flow into the NorthernThe Arctic Ocean and in numerous lakes connected with the Kama, Volga, Dnieper, Vyatka, Amur and Oka.
minnow habitat
Minnows are freshwater fish. Moreover, they prefer cool water, therefore they mainly live in rivers with a rocky bottom and a strong current. These fish do not like warm water and a calm current, and therefore they are rarely found in large lakes and rivers, where the water is calmer.
More accurate information about their distribution has not yet been fully revealed, since the minnows are very small. However, given that they are found in large numbers in many rivers, we can conclude that this fish lives almost everywhere.
Mostly minnows live in streams, as well as in small rivers, and they reach almost to the source, where other species of fish are not observed. In mountainous areas, minnows can rise in rivers to considerable heights - up to several hundred meters. For example, they can often be seen in the waters of the Ural Mountains.
Most of the time these fish live in flocks on rocky rifts. Moreover, these flocks can contain up to several thousand minnows, which are arranged in rows one above the other. The largest individuals tend to stay closer to the bottom, while the smaller ones stay higher.
The largest schools of fish are found near the coast, because the current is weaker there. They feed on mill "beads" that fall into the water, and their traditional diet is small worms, crustaceans, midges, mosquitoes, etc. They can also eat fish fry,a variety of carrion, and a little less algae.
About spawning season
One minnow is very rare. Their flocks are especially numerous during the breeding season. In Russia, this season falls on May-June for river fish. In lake minnows, spawning occurs later - early or mid-July.
Spawning in minnows is peculiar, according to observers. Males gathered in flocks pursue less numerous females. One of the females is surrounded by several males and stay close to her. The strongest two males squeeze her on the sides, after which eggs come out of the female's body, which are immediately fertilized. Then these males are replaced by others, and this continues until the female is left without eggs. During the spawning period, the males' fins are painted in surprisingly bright colors. The main enemies of fry are mosquito larvae. From them, the fish find shelter in gravel or sand. Sexual maturity in these fish occurs around the second or third year.
minnow's companions
Usually in autumn the minnow completely disappears, and in winter it burrows into the silt or hides under the roots of underwater plants and trees. But the practice of anglers has shown that in winter they are found in the water. It should be noted for fishermen that the minnow avoids very shallow places in winter, as well as the deepest ones.
These small fish prefer shallow rivers with cold clear water, with a pebble, rocky or sandy bottom. Often they can be seen in streams. Usually in such places trout are found along with them. Moreminnow is a frequent companion of juvenile salmon fish. As noted above, these fish always gather in large flocks. Wherever this fish is found, there are always a lot of them, which explains their omnivorous nature. And they eat everything edible that is in the water.
The minnow, like a goldfish, can live perfectly in any aquarium.
Amur minnow
This type of minnow is larger than others. Its dimensions reach a length of up to 24 centimeters. This fish is one of the most abundant freshwater fish that live in cold, fast-flowing semi-mountain rivers. The Amur minnow lives in places with a rocky bottom and a slightly slow current, as well as in places where there are silted and vegetated pebbles at the bottom.
This fish serves as food for many predatory fish. These are taimen, lenok, grayling and pike.
This species is fairly widespread in the Amur River basin. Also, the Amur minnow in Primorye lives in the basin of the Razdolnaya River and in the rivers of the Sikhote-Alin slope (east side).
Fishing
The minnow is not an object of serious fishing. Due to the fact that these fish are very small, fishing enthusiasts pay little attention to them. For the most part, this fish is used as a nozzle for catching predatory fish. Trout, pike, burbot, perch and chub peck at them.
Despite all of the above, there are anglers who go fishing just for the minnow. They prefer to catch such a small fish,to feel the pleasure of the fishing process. This applies just to such a case when fishing is part of an active holiday, and not an integral part of profit.
For minnow fishing, it is better to use a float rod. The minnow does not bite at night, but it is excellently caught in the morning and during the day. What does the minnow peck at? He bites well on worms, maggots and houseflies.
Often this fish is caught with nets or head over heels.
Conclusion
Quite widespread in almost all freshwater reservoirs, and in some places very numerous minnow - a non-commercial fish.
As you know, this fish is not suitable for humans as food due to the fact that minnow meat has a bitter taste. The fish is well used for feeding pigs and dogs. Her security status is low.
