Bluntnose minnows do not like turbidity. They eat algae, insect larvae, diatoms, small crustaceans, and sometimes fish eggs and fry. Like most minnows, they are a schooling species. Sexing Spawning males develop a black head with tubercles in three rows. Like fathead minnows, spawning males develop a spongy pad on top of their heads.
Males are larger than females.
Egg-laden females are fatter than males. Sticky eggs are laid underneath of hard surfaces like rocks and logs. The male guards the nest, fanning it, defending it, and removing fungused eggs. Again, this is just like the fathead minnow. The female can lay 40 to 400 eggs at a time.