Fathead Minnow

Pimephales promelas

A small fish with an unfortunate name, Fathead Minnows are often overlooked despite their broad range and importance.

Habitat

Look for Fathead Minnows from the Rocky Mountains to the Maritimes in Canada, south through the United States, to northern Mexico. You’ll find them in small lakes, slow streams, and wetlands.

Food

Fathead Minnows are omnivores, eating both plants and animals. Small plants, algae, aquatic invertebrates, and surface insects, are all part of their diet.

Behaviour

These hardy fish are able to survive in areas with high temperatures, low oxygen levels, high turbidities, and other conditions that are difficult for other fish. Their broad range makes them important food for a host of larger fish and invertebrates, birds, reptiles, and mammals. To help avoid these predators, injured Fathead Minnows will release an alarm substance that alerts other minnows to danger. Fathead Minnows breed from late spring though mid-summer. During this time, the male changes from an olive colour to orange and black and grows small, horn-like bumps on his head. Females lay eggs in nests built and guarded by the males.

Conservation

Fathead Minnows are abundant and are of low conservation concern. They are important as bait fish for angling and as water toxicity indicators.

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