Found this in the minnows...

[paul112]

Okay, I caught a few minnows on a hand line, thinking I might try and breed them for feeders for my turtle. Anyway, when i got them in the tank at home, I realised that this isn't your normal minnow. It was in the shoal, but in my experience, some baby fish do, and I've caught baby Dace and Chub in minnow shoals before, but this has stumped me! The front fins are too rounded compared to the other minnow, and the colouration is different. I thought it was a baby salmon at first but after I looked at pictures I'm not sure. Under the gill area, the head is black.
Somebody help ID this. I also included a little diagram. The fish has some white spots on the snout. It's not a disease, as the spots are identical on both sides. Is this just a wierd minnow at breeding peak or something?

Also, any tips on keeping natives from rivers? I have a spare filter that i'm setting up tonight. Any tips on getting the fish used to captivity would be much apreciated!
Paul :headbang2

[paul112]

Doesn't matter, I think its just a wierd variety of minnow. The white spots are probably spawning rash (is that correct?) which proves that its mature and not a baby. I'm actually glad its not a baby fish to be honest (dont get me wrong, I;d love another monster fish) but i could get fined for taking fish less than 9" from my local river. I think this guy's fairly neat actually, I might try and breed them (then sell them to a really gullable lfs:naughty: )
Peace out,
Paul :headbang2

[Honda12]

Not to sure what is it, but it looks pretty cool.

[fisher12889]

I just looked through my fish atlas, and im pretty sure it is Phoxinus phoxinus (Eurasian dace)

[dredcon]

If the white spots are bumps they are breeding tubercles.

[fishyz]

That thing looks cool whatever it is.

[paul112]

Oh right!
I just need to find another now and breed them :P
It's still alive in a temporary 12litre, and it's already eating (bloodworms, not flakes yet). It appears in good health. I'm slowly adding more dechlorinated water each day as i didn't want to shock it. Its in about 8 litres today, i might add another 2 litres tonight.

The tank is currently bare and i'm installing an internal filter tonight to get some current and oxygen in there, but decoration wise, im thinking sand and fine gravel substrate and maybe a large rock from the river. Then maybe some native bottom dweller.

Anyhow, I'm off to research Eurasian Dace. I did look through my Freshwater fish book, but i could only find minnow that had the tubercles.

Paul :headbang2

[fishyz]

Good luck.

[paul112]

I just looked through my fish atlas, and im pretty sure it is Phoxinus phoxinus (Eurasian dace)
Hmm, thats wierd. I typed Eurasian dace into google, and wikipedia came up. Aparantly, Eurasian dace are a different latin name, lex-somethingorother lex-somethingorother So i typed Phoxinus Phoxinus into google, and that returned the common minnow.
So any help would be appreciated :screwy:
Paul :headbang2

[guppy]

What is the size of the fish?

Never mind, I am betting it is between 4-6", up to 14 cm.
It is indeed a Phoxinus phoxinus and is called the Eurasian or Common Minnow, it is an attractive, active omnivore that requires cool, well oxygenated water.
That appears to be a male in breeding condition.
Here is a picture from NIMFEA TE,
This is the fishbase link, http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Country/CountrySpeciesSummary.cfm?Country=United%20Kingdom&Genus=Phoxinus&Species=phoxinus
and here is a pic from Johnny Jensen of one not in breeding condition.

[Honda12]

Wow what a difference in color for a minnow, never relized they got breeding colors.

[fishyz]

I know.

[paul112]

Yeah, it's a pretty good match Guppy, but this is one of a few hundred minnows that i've hooked that caught my eye. The usual minnow around here have a black bar running through the length of their body, whilst this one has green and olice tiger tripes on it's top. Your right aswell, the fish is about 4", and seeing as it's in breeding condition, it must be adult. Just a few questions though:
1. Could it have cross-bred with another fish species? The circular from fins are unlike any minnow i have ever caught.
2.How long do males remain in breeding condition, and will they mate with ANY female? I'm thinking of getting an egg bearing female to breed him with, but I need to know if he will.

Paul :headbang2

[guppy]

I don't know the spawning season or habits other than they migrate short distances to gravelly riffles to spawn, I don't think there are any fish closely related in the UK so crossbreeding is unlikely, Other minnows in your area are immature bleak, chub, and dace mainly but there are also widespread populations of the introduced Pseudorasbora parva (first pic).
Also, there are several color varients ranging from almost no markings, solid stripe, and the tiger striping. Here are examples.

[Bassman89]

i dont know what it is...but it sure looks cool...

[paul112]

Guppy, you are a legendary fish hobbyist :clap
Now, if only you can tell me about the tank setup for this guy...:naughty:
Paul :headbang2

[fisher12889]

I would try and collect some native aquatic plants, and use gravel w/ larger rocks mixed in. Also, since you caught it in a stream, create a current w/ a powerhead.

[guppy]

Unheated tank, match local temp and pH if possible, and do as Fisher12889 suggests, gravel, a few rocks, blackmoss from the creek if you have it there (great for creek fish), lots of circulation (put inflow and out flow at opposite ends of tank and a small power head). Try flake food but also small inverts.
Found a little more on them, they will live in still water but not breed there, They breed much like danios (between April-July in the UK), laying scattered drifts of small amber eggs in flowing water among gravel, the eggs stick to the gravel, they are not guarders. Eggs are laid at a water temp from mid 50s F to mid 60s F. At 60 degrees F they hatch in 14-17 days.
Adults sometimes eat eggs and will eat fry. They also eat other small fish, inverts, and a little algae and other aquatic plants, the fry need infusoria at the start.
They live 5-6 years.

[fisher12889]

How do you know so much about fish Guppy? lol

[Bassman89]

How do you know so much about fish Guppy? lol

seriously...ur like the "fish master" lol