Directory of Fish - Bluntnose Minnow facts

Directory of Fish : Fish Dictionary - reference guide to Bluntnose Minnow

Bluntnose Minnow	Pimephales notatus

Facts about Bluntnose Minnow

COMMON NAME: Bluntnose minnow

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pimephales notatus

IDENTIFICATION: The bluntnose is short with a triangular head similar to the fathead minnow. The bluntnose is distinguished from the fathead by a dark lateral band that runs from the snout to the tail with a black spot adjacent to the tail. Their color ranges from yellowish to greenish with a silvery overlay.

RANGE AND HABITAT: The bluntnose minnow is found throughout Ohio. It occupies a broad range of habitats including lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. They prefer shallow areas of clear lakes and ponds with sand and gravel bottoms. In streams they prefer gravel to rock substrate.

LIFE HISTORY: Bluntnose minnow begin spawning in the spring and may continue into August. Females deposit their adhesive eggs on the cleared underside of an overhanging stone, log, broken tile or any other area chosen by a male. After spawning, males aggressively guard the nesting area.

ADULT SIZE: Bluntnose average 1.6 to 3.5 inches in length.

FISHING METHODS: Bluntnose minnows are not targeted by anglers, but they are a popular bait minnow

Source: courtesy Ohio DNR