Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus)

Class of the Actinopterygian order of Cypriniformes family of cyprinid Phoxinus phoxinus (Linnaeus, 1758)

The Minnow is a small fish whose body is slender and almost cylindrical. The caudal peduncle is compressed laterally. The scales are small and inconspicuous. The head is relatively large compared to the body. The snout is rounded and equipped with a small mouth upwards. The upper jaw is slightly prominent. The caudal fin is well indented and the dorsal fin is high.

The current size is 4-10 cm, the maximum size is 14 cm.

The colour of the back varies from olive green to Brown. Its flanks are black, blue and yellow crossbars. The belly is grey whitish. A golden spot is present on the operculum. The base of the caudal fin is marked by a black spot. During the time of breeding males have brighter colors with red notes.

Longevity varies between 3 and 6 years.

The Minnow is an omnivorous fish, feeding on larvae of insects, eggs of fish, worms, crustaceans, algae and small molluscs.

Breeding takes place from April to July depending on the region. Minnow migrates to the headwaters of creeks where it breeds in schools on the stones and gravel pits at shallow depth. In several pontes, the female lays eggs that cling to the gravel.

The Minnow is a species of accompaniment of the trout. It will meet in habitats similar to this one: clear, limpid and shallow, small streams and fast flowing rivers to gravelly bottom waters.

It is present throughout Europe with the exception of the Iberian Peninsula, South of the Italy, the Greece and the Norway.

He is fishing the shot with a light line without boot but a survey of the watercourse is necessary. Veron is used as bright for the trout, Pike and perch fishing.