Minnows

About 200 species of fish in the minnow family are native to North America, with about 100 of them included in a single genus, Notropis, most of which are commonly called shiners. Minnows native to North America are all small species, while several larger, Eurasian species have been introduced to North America and now occur in self-sustaining populations.

The most widespread native species is the common or silver shiner (Notropis cornutus), which is virtually ubiquitous in many surface waters east of the Mississippi in the United States and is also widespread in eastern Canada. This species is important as a forage fish, and as a baitfish.

The pearl or northern dace (Semotilus margarita) is a widespread species that is especially important in brown-colored, boggy waters. The fallfish (S. corporalis) occurs in northeastern North America, and can grow as large as 18 in (45 cm), and is sometimes eaten by people.

The golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) occurs throughout the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay drainage, and is an important forage fish and common baitfish. The fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) has a similar distribution and is also used as a baitfish.

The stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum) digests nutrients out of the copious quantities of mud that it ingests. The stoneroller has an enormously long intestine that coils 15 times around its air bladder.

In addition to the various native members of the minnow family, several species have been introduced to North America. The most familiar introduced species is the common carp (Cyprinus carpio). This fish is commonly cultivated as food in Europe and Asia, and it was released to many North American lakes in the hope of establishing a food resource that many immigrants would like to eat. Unfortunately, the common carp has caused some important ecological damage in many of the waterbodies where it has become established, resulting in the displacement of native species of fish and other animals and damage to aquatic vegetation.

The goldfish (Carassius auratus) has also been introduced to many ponds and lakes in North America, either deliberately as an ornamental fish, or more-or-less accidentally when unwanted pet goldfish were released into nearby ponds, or just flushed down a toilet. Like the common carp, alien populations of goldfish cause important ecological damage in many of the places where they have become well established.