Fathead minnow

Fathead minnow
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Leuciscidae
Subfamily: Pogonichthyinae
Genus: Pimephales
Species:
P. promelas
Binomial name
Pimephales promelas
(Rafinesque, 1820)
Synonyms
  • Hyborhynchus confertus Girard, 1856
  • Pimephales fasciatus Girard, 1856
  • Pimephales maculosus Girard, 1856
  • Hyborhynchus puniceus Girard, 1856
  • Plargyrus melanocephalus Abbott, 1860
  • Pimephales milesii Cope, 1865:
  • Pimephales agassizii Cope, 1867
  • Coliscus parietalis Cope, 1871
  • Hyborhynchus nigellus Cope, 1875
  • Cliola smithi Evermann & Cox, 1896
  • Pimephales anuli Kendall, 1903
  • Pimephales promelas harveyensis C. L. Hubbs & Lagler, 1949

Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), also known as fathead or tuffy, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Leuciscidae, the shiners, daces and minnows. The natural geographic range extends throughout much of North America, from central Canada south along the Rockies to Texas, and east to Virginia and the Northeastern United States. This minnow has also been introduced to many other areas via bait bucket releases. Its golden, or xanthic, strain, known as the rosy-red minnow, is a very common feeder fish sold in the United States and Canada. This fish is also known for producing Schreckstoff (a distress signal).