As far as "goldfish minnows" go, goldfish are a Cyprinidae so technically they are a minnow. As Weissguy mentioned, more than likely they are refering to golden shinners which are much cheaper and easier to come by. When goldfish are added to a pond they are usually picked off quickly and I have never seen them become a problem. In Missouri goldfish are usually reserved for flathead bait and the bigger the better
