Found this in the minnows...

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paul112

Gambusia
MFK Member
Apr 26, 2006
796
1
16
United Kingdom
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

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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
 
Not to sure what is it, but it looks pretty cool.
 
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
 
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
 
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/Countr...nited Kingdom&Genus=Phoxinus&Species=phoxinus
and here is a pic from Johnny Jensen of one not in breeding condition.

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