Fish
Bluntnose Minnow
Pimephales notatus · also called bluntnose minnows
At the bottom of a quiet pond, a male bluntnose minnow scrubs the underside of a flat stone clean with the fleshy pad on his back, preparing a nest site he will soon guard against every other fish that gets too close.
Overview
The bluntnose minnow, Pimephales notatus, is a small, hardy freshwater fish native to ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams across much of North America. Its rounded, overhanging snout and nest-cleaning breeding behaviour, shared closely with its relative the fathead minnow, make it one of the more recognisable small minnows in its range.
A common fish with an uncommon amount of parental care
Most people who encounter a bluntnose minnow see only an unremarkable small fish, missing entirely the dedicated nest preparation and guarding a breeding male puts in well out of sight beneath a chosen underwater stone.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and abundant across suitable freshwater habitat throughout much of North America.
Bluntnose Minnow: common questions
How did the bluntnose minnow get its name?
The bluntnose minnow gets its name from its distinctly rounded, blunt snout, which overhangs its small, downturned mouth, a feature that sets it apart in profile from many other small minnow species with more pointed or upturned snouts.
What is the fleshy pad on a male bluntnose minnow's back for?
Breeding male bluntnose minnows develop a fleshy pad on the back just behind the head, used to clean debris from the underside of a chosen nest surface before spawning and to help guard the resulting eggs, a breeding behaviour closely shared with the related fathead minnow.
Is the bluntnose minnow related to the fathead minnow?
Yes, the bluntnose minnow is a close relative of the fathead minnow, sharing a similar nest-cleaning and nest-guarding breeding strategy, though the two differ in snout shape, with the bluntnose minnow's rounded, overhanging snout being one of the clearer ways to tell the two apart.
Where does the bluntnose minnow live?
The bluntnose minnow is native to ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams across much of North America, generally favouring calm or gently flowing water, and its considerable hardiness allows it to remain common even in habitats affected by moderate pollution or disturbance.