Scientific Name
Rhynchocypris percnurus
Common Name
Lake minnow
Biology
Inhabits small lakes, shallows or isolated small bays of larger lakes, swamps, artificial ponds, with abundant vegetation, turbid water, with mud or clay bottom. Prefers to live in still water or slow current. Commonly found in shallows among vegetation in schools of 20-89 individuals. Can survive extreme low oxygen concentrations in summer and winter. Hibernates (in northern regions) during winter or remains inactive at temperatures close to 0?C. Feeds on a wide variety of prey, from plankton to benthic animals. Globally not under threat, but some isolated relict populations in Middle Volga and Poland have already been extirpated, are declining or threatened. Several of these populations may possibly represent a distinct species, which, if confirmed, will significantly change the present conservation assessment (Ref. 59043).