I think a common shiner would be a good choice since it is less likely to grow too large as sometimes the golden shiner does. Wish I had a local source for them.
Common shiners spawn over nests of chubs, usually creek chubs and will rarely make their own nests. They also require moving water and a gravel substrate. They are not tolerant of warm waters so the only time they are found in lakes is usually in the northern end of their range. They may survive in a pond, but wouldn't spawn which would make them less than desirable as a forage fish.
I wonder if you're having the same confusion I had before some nice folks here cleared it all up for me.
Golden shiners aren't golden in color most of the time. That was what was throwing me off. If I'm remembering correctly what I was told, golden shiners are silver in color except during spawn or when they are very old. I was just expecting that golden shiners would be golden in color all the time so I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that my golden shiners were actually silver.
I trust you guys will correct me if I've gotten some of that wrong.
You're 100% correct Al... Immature and non breeding golden shiners are typically silver. When they get bigger, they then get a more golden or brassy coloration and their paired fins will get an orangish hue to them. AP's picture is a classic mature golden shiner in breeding colors.
