Eurasian Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus)
The Eurasian Minnow is a small and peaceful freshwater fish that is a rather understated aquarium and pond fish. Their fascinating behaviours and their quite striking patterns are often overlooked for more colourful fish that attain more significant sizes. They quickly breed in aquariums and ponds alike. And are ideal for natural ponds.
These Minnows often gather in large shoals; this is so they can confuse their predators. They move very fast and swim very close together. Fish on the outside of the shoal, unfortunately, are most at danger of being eaten, so every fish wants to be in the middle.
The Eurasian Minnow is olive-brown above, it displays dark bars along its back and a dark stripe along its flank. Females have whitish-grey bellies, but the males' abdomens turn pinkish-red in the summer. The Minnow lacks the dorsal spines of sticklebacks.
Eurasian Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) Video
Eurasian Minnows
Photos
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phoxinus phoxinus |
| Other Names | Common Minnow |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Cypriniformes |
| Family | Leuciscidae |
| Genus | Phoxinus |
| Origins | Europe), China, North Korea, Russia, South Korea , Spain |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | Bottom - Middle |
| Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
| Shoaling | Yes |
| Best kept as | Groups 10+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Egg-Layer |
| Lifespan | 2 - 5 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 6.5 - 8.0 |
| GH | 4 - 8 |
| TDS | 50 - 250 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 53 - 68℉ 11.7 - 20℃ | |
Feeding
In the home aquarium, the Eurasian Minnow will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements.
Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish.
It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages.
This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.
Sexual Dimorphism
It is somewhat tricky to differentiate male from female Eurasian minnows. Both males and female are similar in size, with males being slightly larger when fully grown. Males are also slightly slimmer than females. The colours of a male are darker and more visible than the female. Also, the females anal and dorsal fin is more rounded while the males are more pointed.