Pond Boss Forums PHOTO GALLERY Image Gallery What type of minnow is this?

I have been catching these minnows in a local creek to put into my pond as forage for the bass. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what kind of minnow is this, I assume some kind of shiner (emerald shiner maybe), and if these are a good minnow to put in a pond as forage. These I caught are about five or six inches long so they might survice long enough to spawn.

Look here http://cnre.vt.edu/efish/families/cyprinidae.html

shiner?

If you're in MD which your profile says you are, particularly if you are collecting them from an Atlantic drainage stream the number of species that look similar is limited to a more experienced fish squeezer. The photos aren't the greatest of quality, but because there are a limited number of species it can be it makes IDing them a bit easier even with the photo quality. I would say they are eastern silvery minnows (Hybognathus regius). The only concern I have is the length you gave of 5"-6". That is larger than any species of minnow or shiner grows in the east other than the golden shiner which this species definitely is not. Get an accurate measurement, if they are more like 3"-4" I am more confident in my ID. If they really are 5"-6" fish, then I need to make a trip up to MD to see them for myself.

As far as their value as bass forage... They are mostly a stream dwelling species. Generally streams that are of a low gradient(which is good, most like a pond). Further north, say above the Mason-Dixon line, they are often found in lakes. There they migrate up streams to spawn. Spawning generally takes place from Mid April into early June depending on locality and weather. They do require moving water from all sources I have read to be successful in their spawning. However, this isn't written in stone as they are a little studied species. The fact that the most likely require running water to spawn makes them a poor forage species for ponds unless there is a connecting stream they can ascend that provides the needed habitat to spawn.

With that being said, they will live in a pond just fine with few exceptions. They will provide forage for bass and other predatory species, just don't expect them to successfully spawn and reproduce in your pond in all likelihood. They certainly will not hurt anything as they have very small mouths and would compete very little with any game fish, even their YOY. Most studies indicate they feed on bottom ooze and algae. They have quite long intestines to aid in the digestion of it. I have kept them in aquariums and can attest to the fact that they will graze algae. However, anyone reading this... Don't get your hopes up, they won't control the FA in your pond!

There are 3 other very closely related species of the same genus which are found in the Midwest.

Ok. I caught about 15 of those minnows today and measured some of them. Most of them were between 4 and 5 inches long. I looked up the eastern silvery minnow but couldnt find much information on them. Thats probably what they are. Thanks CJ for the info. They are probably up in that creek spawning. Thats the only minnow that i'v caught out of there so far this year. Late last summer I caught about four different kinds of minnows from there including misquito fish. Well they probably wont spawn in the pond but there is so many small bass in that pond they will make for a nice meal.

Good job CJ with an ID from subpar pictures. The pictures indicate a slightly subterminal mouth plus some of the other features seem match well the description for eastern silvery minnow. His specimens must older adults since they are at the upper range for size.

I've never collected ones larger than 5", but that isn't to say they don't get larger. What river system are you collecting them from Paul? Susquehanna and the Potomac are the two major ones in Maryland. Later in the season you can collect again and see what other species you collect. Some of them may be good forage as well.

I believe this creek comes from the Potomac river. I live in Charles County. Not sure if u know where that is. I think this creek probably runs back into the Potomac River in Port Tobacco since the river is very near. I dont know what happened to all the other fish that was in the creek. There was thousands of mosquito fish in there late last summer but I havent seen any so far this year.

Mosquito fish often do not survive northern winters too well.

I have friends in Waldorf, Md. Mosquitofish are native to the Potomac River and do quite well in ponds in our area. If you haven't already stocked mosquitofish in your pond, there are better alternatives. If you can't get those species to establish then mosquitofish are always a last resort. Many of the creeks in our area have very different fish communities depending on the time of year. If you want to collect forage fish sometime, let me know. I know many good locations to collect different species which are good pond forage candidates. Two guys working together with a seine can catch a lot of fish. I also have a few species well established in a couple ponds by my house now. I fish Mattawoman Creek a lot. Some great fishing around Indian Head.

CJ, I live a little past Waldorf in LaPlata. Years ago when I had a bass boat Mattawomen Creek was my favorite place to fish. Caught alot of nice bass in that creek when it wasnt overcrowded from a fishing tournament. Wish I still had a boat cause id love to catch some big snakeheads that are up in there now. I know a creek that might have some commom shiners in it but I havent been there in a long time. I dont know anywhere I can get any golden shiners tho.

Let me know if you want to do come forage fish collecting. I have a boat, you're more than welcome to come out fishing with me. I was down at the Occoquan River the other day and the VDGIF was doing an electrofishing survey... They shocked up 69 snakeheads in just under and hour. One topped the scales at 16 pounds!

Update: Further research into the eastern silvery minnow has revealed this...

Eastern Silvery Minnow (H. regius) are easily cultured in shallow earthen ponds. Raney (1942) describes raising several thousands minnows in a 0.15-acre pond ranging from four inches to four feet in depth. The pond was fertilized three times during the summer with cottonseed meal, and fresh-cut timothy was scattered along the pond's shallow borders several times. The bottom was silt and lacked vegetation except for filamentous algae later in the summer. The fish were not fed. Spawning occurred in late April and early May. A stocked total of 68 males and 14 females produced 6,650 young 4-7 cm (1.5-2.75 in) in length by the end of September.

There are 7 species in the Hybognathus genus found in North America. The eastern species has been studied the most, however the other species are closely related and most scientists suspect they have similar spawning requirements. They are in fact so closely related, they at one time were all considered to be the same species, just subspecies. This means they too would be viable pond forage candidates. The other species include the western silvery minnow, the Mississippi silvery minnow, Rio Grande silvery minnow, the plains minnow, the brassy minnow, the cypress minnow. Maximum size for the eastern silvery minnow is about 5" and the Mississippi silvery minnow is 7", other species range for 3.75" to 5".

Unfortunately no commercial sources for these species are known at this time.

If one has a forage pond and is looking for a species that gets larger than FHM but not overly large like the GSH, this would be a good alternative. This species also has an extremely long intestine to help in the digestion of algae, which is a major component of its diet...