There are also smaller pages on the Ozark minnow and the bluntnose minnow . Shiners Shiners are similar to minnows. There are hundreds of species of shiner. The Freshwater Fish book mentioned at the bottom of this page contains information on 47 species of shiners. The terms shiner, dace, and minnow are often used interchangeably.
Most species are compatible with goldfish and koi and make interesting additions to ponds.
They are hard to find to buy. Two North American species are the yellow shiner, or Notemigonus crysoleucas , and the redfin shiner or Notropis umbratilis . The yellow shiner, also called the golden shiner, grows to a foot long but the redfin shiner grows to 3 inches long, like most shiners and minnows. The golden shiner is a common bait fish. They school near the shore.