I am in Ontario Canada just north of London and loaded my pond with emerald shiners, golden shiners, and just some fathead minnows.
I have nothing but pellet trained Yellow perch in my pond this year now. I really think the fathead is the minnow of choice for my small pond. They populate like crazy. After learning more the emerald shiners are fast but may not spawn in a small pond and the golden shiner only spawns once a year and has a 78 day gestation or along that lines.
After putting in the fatheads the population of super small minnows has doubled.