Golden shiner
The golden shiner, scientifically known as Notemigonus crysoleucas, is a species of minnow native to eastern North America. Commonly referred to as "pond shiners," these fish are often used as bait by anglers seeking to catch larger fish. Golden shiners typically exhibit silvery to dark-golden scales and have fuller bodies compared to other minnows, growing to lengths of three to five inches, though some can reach up to 12 inches. They inhabit freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams, predominantly in areas with dense aquatic vegetation, which they navigate using their fins.
As omnivores, golden shiners feed on a varied diet that includes tiny crustaceans, insects, and algae. They are an important part of the aquatic ecosystem, serving as prey for larger fish species like trout and bass. During the summer spawning season, female golden shiners can release hundreds of thousands of eggs, which males fertilize. The young fish, known as fry, develop independently and eventually form schools. With a lifespan ranging from three to nine years, golden shiners are not considered a threatened species, making them a stable presence in their natural habitats.
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Golden shiner
The golden shiner is native to eastern North America. Golden shiners are a kind of carp called a minnow. They are also known as "pond shiners," by fishermen and bait dealers. They are used as lures to catch larger fish.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Notemigonus
Species: Crysoleucas
Golden shiners may have silvery-to-dark-golden scales. Their bodies are fuller and deeper than most other minnows. Adult golden shiners usually reach a length of between three and five inches (seven and 13 centimeters), but some may be up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) long.
Like other fish, golden shiners need oxygen to survive. Unlike humans, who have lungs and are able to process oxygen from the air, golden shiners have to find the oxygen they need from the water in which they live. Golden shiners take water into their mouths, keep the oxygen they need, and push the unnecessary chemicals out through the gills on the sides of their bodies.
Golden shiners live in the freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. They may be found from Manitoba and Quebec southward to Florida, Texas, and Mexico. Generally, golden shiners are found in areas with dense weed beds.
Golden shiners swim through these dense weed beds by the movements of their fins. Their caudal, or tail, fins swish from side to side propelling these fish through the aquatic vegetation. Golden shiners use their dorsal and anal, or back and belly, fins to keep themselves balanced in the water, and their pectoral, or side, and pelvic, or upper belly, fins as paddles to help keep them moving.
Golden shiners live off a diet of tiny crustaceans, insects, mollusks, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and algae. Since they eat insects and plants, golden shiners are classified as omnivores. Golden shiners are risk for predation from game fish, such as trout and bass.
Bait dealers are very familiar with golden shiners. They are often known in fishing circles as "pond shiners." Many fishermen bait their hooks with these minnows in hopes of catching larger fish.
Spawning, or mating, season for golden shiners takes place in the middle of the summer. Female golden shiners deposit hundreds of thousands of eggs for the males to fertilize. This process of releasing and fertilizing eggs is known as spawning. Young golden shiners, or fry, develop on their own and eventually form a new school of golden shiners.
The life span of golden shiners is between three and nine years. They are not a threatened species.
Bibliography
“Golden Shiner.” Missouri Department of Conservation, 2024, mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/golden-shiner. Accessed 30 Mar. 2024.
Smithsonian Institution. “Notemigonus Crysoleucas.” Marine Invasions Research at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 2022, invasions.si.edu/nemesis/species‗summary/163368. Accessed 30 Mar. 2024.