A small European fresh-water cyprinoid fish (Phoxinus lævis, formerly Leuciscus phoxinus); sometimes applied also to the young of larger kinds; called also minim and minny
A minnow is a very small fish that lives in lakes and rivers. Small fishes, especially of the carp family (Cyprinidae), as well as some rockfish (family Umbridae) and killifishes (family Cyprinodontidae). The numerous species of North American cyprinid minnows are freshwater fishes, 2.4-12 in. (6-30 cm) long. Many are valuable as food for fishes, birds, and other animals and as live bait. The bluntnose (Pimephales notatus) and fathead (P. promelas) minnows, the common shiner, and the American roach are good bait species. The term also refers to the young of many large fish species. The minnow of Europe and northern Asia (Phoxinus phoxinus) is about 3 in. (7.5 cm) long and varies from golden to green
members of the families of fish classified Cyprinidae (carp, chub, dace, goldfish, minnow, shiner, stoneroller and tench) Cyprinodntidae (killifish, topminnow) and Clupeidae (gizzard shad)