Minnow Breeding

[Wynter]

Hello all,

I would just like to enquire as to when in the year Minnow's start to show signs of breeding and actually do breed. And how long does an individual live for?.

~Wynter

[AndyC]

Here in the south they usually start spawning in April and are all done in a couple of weeks.
No idea how long they live for, can't be much more than a couple of years if the kingfishers, trout and dragon fly larvae have anything to do with it!


Andy

[Dogghound]

Minnows have a relatively long breeding period compared to most other freshwater fish, they breed from April to August. If its a warm spring possibly earlier, They will start developing deeper colouring and males will get nuptial breeding tubercles around their heads, this is likely to happen 1 to 2 weeks before they start breeding and depending on when they breed through the summer you may find males in this condition throughout this period. They are sexually mature after a year, and have been recorded to live for 8 years although this is possible in an aquarium or garden pond unlikely in the wild due to predation.

[Stewy]

Just found out that minnows are the smallest member of the carp family! I never knew that.

Phoxinus phoxinus - Minnow

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Minnows have a relatively long breeding period compared to most other freshwater fish, they breed from April to August.

I've never noticed later summer spawnings down here, just the one spring one. I must keep my eyes open! Are the summer spawnings such big affairs as the spring ones where I see hundreds of minnows gathered together on the shallows?


Andy

[Dogghound]

Spawning generally occurs in spring in most cases, but sometimes can go one throughout the summer, particularly in colder countries. Its the norm for the mass spawning around April in Britain.