Size isn’t Everything
Size isn’t Everything - The Eurasian Minnow Phoxinus phoxinus
by
Rob Read
Above: The Eurasian Minnow is a fish that can be found in large shoals.
‘Minnow’ is a commonly used to term describe something small and insignificant, but I think this is an unfair description of a rather beautiful and important species of freshwater fish and one that sparked a lifelong obsession with all things piscatorial with me. The Eurasian, European, or Common Minnow is one of the smallest species of fish found in UK waters and is commonly 6-10cm in length and weighs under 20g. It may surprise you to know that this diminutive species is a member of the carp family Cyprinidae and in contrast its cousins are some of the largest species swimming in British freshwater.
But don’t let its small size fool you, take a close look at the humble Minnow and you will begin to appreciate just how beautiful this fish is – size isn’t everything after all. At first glance they appear scaleless and rather dull in colour but look more closely and you will see that they are in fact covered with tiny scales. Their markings are really rather exquisite, their backs are brown/green-brown in colour, the underside silver or white. But it is their flanks that hold the true beauty being adorned with a series of elongated overlapping dots which appear to form a central dark line. During the breeding season, the colouration of the males becomes more intense. The fins are rounded and transparent, and the overall profile of the fish is rather streamlined, but rounded in cross section.
Although it does occur in well oxygenated lakes and reservoirs, the Eurasian Minnow is a primarily a fish of flowing water and can be found in tiny brooks right up to the largest rivers. Its ability to thrive in small water courses is no doubt why it is the first contact many children have with freshwater fish. I well remember this species as my own introduction to the world of piscatorial delights when I plucked a handful of tiddlers from a local brook on a garden cane equipped with a short length of fishing line and rudimentary float and hook in true Huckleberry Finn style. And, of course, water-filled jam jars were employed to temporarily contain our prizes so we could admire them for a little longer.
The mighty minnow is a good indicator of water quality. The bed of the tiny brook from which I made my first catch was literally black with enormous shoals of these small fish; it was common for us to quickly catch over 100 on our simple tackle in no more than an hour or so. And, as I was to discover, these shoals were the source of food for bigger fish which lurked in the deeper recesses of that tiny water course. As I developed my angling skills, comparatively large Chub, Brown Trout, and even small Pike came to the net, no doubt sustained by the healthy population of minnows. Sadly, that brook has declined significantly, and the minnows and other fish now exist only as childhood memories.
The Eurasian Minnow is only one of hundreds of minnow species found worldwide. They may be small but, as I hope I have shown, they are a species that should be respected and admired. Let’s hope that many future generations will be able to peer at their own water-filled jam jars and that tiny fish they have just borrowed from its watery home. It is the inspiration derived from such encounters that is the very energy needed to nurture the future custodians of our planet and drive the battle for its protection and our fellow inhabitants.
Rob Read. November 2021.
