Fathead Minnow Life Cycle
Belonging to the genus Pimephales of the biological categorization Cyprinidae, the fathead minnow is a freshwater fish that is found in many parts of North America. This fish occurs naturally in areas east of the Rocky Mountains, from Mexico to northern Canada, although it is resident in other areas as a result of having been introduced, usually to form a supply of bait fish for anglers.
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Description
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Adult male fathead minnows can grow up to 4 inches in length, while the females are about an inch shorter. They have rounded snouts and short, stubby fins. Generally dull gray in color, they have a darker, dusky spot at the base of the tail fin as well as on the dorsal (back) fin. Fathead minnows also have a dark stripe running down the center of their back. A separate strain of the fish, dubbed the rosy red minnow, is colored bright orange, a color that was developed in fish farms and bred into the fish. These rosy red minnows are popular for aquariums.
Habitat
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Fathead minnows live in ponds, streams and small rivers. They prefer habitats where there is not too much competition for food from other fish species and are noted for their ability to survive in turbid water that is comparatively low in oxygen--environments that many other fish species would not be able to populate.
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Eggs
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Fathead minnows begin life as eggs. After mating, the female will lay her eggs on objects submerged at the bottom of the minnow's resident water source, such as rocks and plant debris. A female can lay up to 12,000 eggs in a single spawning and may spawn 10 times or more during a single summer. Having laid her eggs, the female will play no further part, but the male will remain to guard the eggs, endeavoring to protect them from predators.
Fry
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The eggs will hatch after approximately 5 days. The young, or fry, are about ¼ inch in length and transparent. They will inhabit the algae layer that forms at the surface of water sources with high turbidity favored by the fathead minnow. They will feed on the algae and develop their adult form, attaining a length of approximately ½ inch over the next 3 months. They attain their full adult size after 6 months or so.
Adult
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Adult fathead minnows will feed on algae, plant detritus and small marine invertebrates such as crustaceans and copepods. Occasionally, fathead minnows will spawn in the first summer of life. However, it is more common for them to spawn in the second year. If they do breed, fatheads will live for around 2 years. Those who do not succeed in mating and spawning may live to 4 years.
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References
- Photo Credit stream image by melaca from Fotolia.com
