Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas

Description Body short, average length about 2 in. (51 mm), thickset, compressed laterally, and deep-bodied, often with a pronounced belly. 

Systematic notes Varies greatly in many characters throughout its wide geographic range and some populations have been designated as subspecifically distinct. 

Distribution Ranges through most of central North America, from Louisiana and Chihuahua, Mexico, north to the Great Slave Lake drainage and from New Brunswick on the east to Alberta on the west (FF of C, 480 to 482). 

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Ward TJ, Kowalski PL, Boeri RL (1995c) Acute toxicity of the water accommodated fraction (WAF) of aikyitin MA to the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas. Marblehead, MA, T.R. Wilbury Laboratories, Inc. (Study No. 861-MO). 

Harries, J.E., Runnalls, T, and Hill, E. et al. (2000). Development of a reproductive performance test for endocrine disrupting chemicals using pair-breeding fathead minnows Pimephales promelas). Environmental Science and Technology 34, 3003-3011. 

Panter, G.H., Hutchinson, T.H., and Hurd, K.S. et al. (2006). Development of chronic tests for endocrine active chemicals—Part 1. An extended fish early-life stage test for oestrogenic active chemicals in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Aquatic Toxicology 77, 279-290. 

Broderius SJ, Smith LL Jr, Lind DT. 1977. Relative toxicity of free cyanide and dissolved sulfide forms to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 34 2323-2332. 

Carlson, A.R., Kosian, P.A. (1987) Toxicity of chlorobenzenes to fathead minnows (pimephales promelas). Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 16, 129-135. 

Pickering, Q.H. and M. Gast. 1972. Acute and chronic toxicity of cadmium to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Jour. Fish. Res. Board Canada 29 1099-1106. 

Pickering, Q.H. and J.M. Lazorchak. 1995. Evaluation of the robustness of the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas, larval survival and growth test, U.S. EPA method 1000.0. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 14 653-659. 

Hickie, B.E., N.J. Hutchinson, D.G. Dixon, and P.V. Hodson. 1993. Toxicity of trace metal mixtures to alevin rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and larval fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) in soft, acidic water. Canad. Jour. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 50 1348-1355. 

Parrott, J.L. and J.B. Sprague. 1993. Patterns in toxicity of sublethal mixtures of metals and organic chemicals determined by Microtox and by DNA, RNA, and protein content of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Canad. Jour. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 50 2245-2253. 

Weber, D.N., A. Russo, D.B. Seale, and R.E. Spieler. 1991. Waterborne lead affects feeding abilities and neurotransmitter levels of juvenile fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Aquat. Toxicol. 21 71-80. 

Silver ion (Ag+) was the most toxic chemical species of silver to fishes. Silver ion was 300 times more toxic than silver chloride to fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), 15,000 times more... 

Karen, D.J., D.R. Ownby, B.L. Forsythe, T.P. Bills, T.W. La Point, G.B. Cobb, and SJ. Klaine. 1999. Influence of water quality on silver toxicity to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), and water fleas (Daphnia magnet). Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 18 63-70. 

Avoidance tests with fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) show that almost all fatheads, except males with established territories, will avoid 284 pg Zn/L when given a choice however, avoidance thresholds were 6.4 times higher for established males (Korver and Sprague 1989). 

Brungs, W.A. 1969. Chronic toxicity of zinc to the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas Rafinesque. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 98 272-279. 

Fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas 210 After 43 weeks, concentration in eviscerated carcass was <1.7 mg/kg fresh weight 3... 

When compared to control stream, no effect on total abundance of benthic organisms. However, in both treated streams, species diversity decreased by equal amounts and was still decreasing at day 100. Adverse sublethal effects were noted in fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas (spinal deformities) and bluegills (cholinesterase inhibition, signs of organophosphorus poisoning) only in the pulse-dosed stream. In all streams, however, fish survived, grew, and reproduced equally well (Eaton et al. 1985)... 

Jarvinen, A.W., B.R. Nordling, and M.E. Henry. 1983. Chronic toxicity of Dursban (chlorpyrifos) to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and the resultant acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Safety 7 423-434. 

Jarvinen, A.W. and D.K. Tanner. 1982. Toxicity of selected controlled released and corresponding unformulated technical grade pesticides to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Environ. Pollut. 27A 179-195. 

Barron, M.G. and I.R. Adelman. 1985. Temporal characterization of growth of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) larvae during sublethal hydrogen cyanide exposure. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 81C 341-344. 

Fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas 3.2 Reduced hatching success 3... 

TCDD concentrations in eggs of seven species after exposure as fertilized eggs to nominal concentrations of 9-285 ng 2,3,7,8-TCDD/L for up to 540 h. Lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) in ng/kg FW associated with adverse effects on su rvival or growth 32 days post exposure vs. no observed effect concentration (NOEC) in ng/kg FW Lake herring, Coregonus artedi 270 vs. 175 Fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas ... 

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