Bluntnose minnow

"Bluntnose minnows" is also used for the genus Pimephales as a whole. The bluntnose minnow (Pimephales notatus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Leuciscidae, the shiners, daces and minnows. Its natural geographic range extends from the Great Lakes south along the Mississippi River basin to Louisiana, and east across the Midwestern United States to New York State. The bluntnose is very ubiquitous, and may be the most common freshwater fish in the Eastern U.S.

Habitat

Bluntnose minnows can be found in lakes, rivers, ponds and streams, showing a preference for shallow, clear water with a sandy bottom. Their habitats range from headwater bogs, swamps, and springs to rivers, ponds, and lakes. Sometimes, up to a dozen species of minnows can be found in a single stream of moderate size. They can be found swimming in large groups or alone.

Distribution

The bluntnose minnow can be found in North America, in the Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins from southern Quebec to southern Manitoba, Canada to Louisiana, United States. They are also found from the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec to the Roanoke River on the east coast of United States. There are also many non-indigenous populations found in Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Michigan, thought to have been introduced by bait bucket release or stock contamination. Bluntnose minnows are thought to be the most abundant freshwater fish in the eastern part of the country.

Behaviour

These fish prefer to feed on aquatic insects, algae, diatoms, aquatic insect larvae, and small crustaceans called entomostracans. Occasionally they will eat fish eggs or small fish.