Home · Cyprinidae · Pugnose shiner
Pugnose shiner (Notropis anogenus) — Cyprinidae

Pugnose shiner

Notropis anogenus
Family: Cyprinidae

The Pugnose shiner (Notropis anogenus) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
5.8 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
North America
Edibility
Not eaten

Want the complete picture on the Pugnose shiner?

Get the app

Description

The pugnose shiner is a very small carp-like fish (Leuciscidae) from fresh water of eastern and central North America. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a slender, silvery body with a strikingly small, upturned, pug-like mouth and a dark longitudinal stripe. It lives in schools in clear, plant-rich water of lakes and slow rivers and eats small invertebrates, algae and plant material. The species is sensitive to turbidity and is locally rare. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Pugnose shiner?

The Pugnose shiner has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a horizontal stripes pattern. Very small pugnose shiner; small schooling fish sensitive to turbidity

Where does the Pugnose shiner live?

The Pugnose shiner lives in fresh water and is mostly found around mixed bottom. North America

How big does the Pugnose shiner get?

The Pugnose shiner grows to a maximum of about 6 cm.

Is the Pugnose shiner dangerous to humans?

No, the Pugnose shiner is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Pugnose shiner edible?

The Pugnose shiner is not usually eaten.

More photos

Pugnose shiner (Notropis anogenus) — Cyprinidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) lefua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Pugnose shiner (Notropis anogenus) — Cyprinidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) lefua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Pugnose shiner (Notropis anogenus) — Cyprinidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Peter Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Pugnose shiner (Notropis anogenus) — Cyprinidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Matthew Kvam, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Pugnose shiner?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Pugnose shiner is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Pugnose shiner verified
Scientific name
Notropis anogenus
Family
Cyprinidae
Other names
Pugnose shiner verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
5.8 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Natural range
North America verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small invertebrates, algae and plant inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
levensduur_max_jaar
3.0 verified
Seasonality
Schooling small fish of clear plant-rich water; spawns in spring. sourced
Special features
Very small pugnose shiner; small schooling fish sensitive to turbidity sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Not a target species for angling; at most an incidental catch or usable as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Notropis

More from the family Cyprinidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Pugnose shiner?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Pugnose shiner is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Pugnose shiner? Get the app