Minnow
Phoxinus phoxinus
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The shoal of little fish darting over gravel in the shallows — and the males turn scarlet in May.
A small, slim, olive-brown fish with a dark mottled pattern along the flank, a pale belly and rounded fins. In the breeding season males are transformed: the throat and belly flush bright scarlet, the fins redden and the back darkens, and the head develops small white breeding tubercles. Minnows shoal in the clean, well-oxygenated shallows of the Nith and its tributaries.
Behaviour
Minnows are highly social and shoal tightly, feeding on insect larvae, small crustaceans and algae. They are a classic subject in the study of alarm signals: damaged skin releases a chemical that sends the whole shoal into hiding. Spawning is in late spring over gravel shallows, in dense, conspicuous aggregations. They are important prey for trout, kingfishers, herons and dippers.
When to see it
Quick facts
- Family
- Carps and minnows (Cyprinidae)
- Size
- Typically 6–9 cm
- UK status
- Native and widespread
Photo by Wolfgang Moroder, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons