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Fathead Minnow

Fathead minnows are dull, silvery-colored
baitfish that grow to about 3 inches in length.
Fatheads feed on small invertebrates and plant
material. They are hardy and very prolific. Eggs
are deposited on the underside of submerged
tree branches, aquatic vegetation, or boards
placed in the water for that purpose. Since they
spawn several times throughout the summer,
they can produce very large numbers of young.
An overabundant population of fatheads can
remove most of the zooplankton and lead to
extensive algae blooms.

Fatheads should not be stocked in ponds to
accelerate initial bass growth. Extremely high
populations of minnows have been found to
directly compete with stocked fingerling largemouth
bass and bluegills, resulting in poor
survival of their offspring. Although the young
bass that survive to eat the minnows grow
well, they will be low in number. The bluegill
population may not be able to expand until the
fatheads are eliminated by disease and/or
predators. Although fatheads are excellent prey
for smaller bass, bluegills are a better suited prey
for adult bass. Fathead minnows can be used in
channel catfish-only ponds, see page 36 for details.