Common Name(s): Bull Heads, Rosy Reds, Tuffies.

Scietific Name: Pimephales Vigilax

Family: Pimephales

Origin: Iowa, United States

Maximum Size: 10cm / 4 inches

Care: These fish are very hardy. Their PH preference is around Neutral (7). Bull Head Minnows are used mostly for bait, toxity testing, and mosquito control. They require simple care and can survive in temperatures above freezing (33) to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Preferibly around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees celsius). Requires basic fish care. Many are very weak because they are kept in the hundreds in "feeding fish" conditions.

Feeding: Bull Head Minnows will eat just about anything you place in the tank. Sinking pellets are not recommended.

Sexing and Breeding: Males grow tubercles like goldfish and get a fleshy growth on their heads. During breeding, the male will stake out a spot and several females will come and lay eggs with him, after eggs are laid the male will guard the eggs and rub his fleshy growth on his head against them. Supposidly this fleshy growth has anti-fungus on it. Make sure you give them terra cotta pots, rock caves, and overhangs for them to spawn on. Females get plump and are partially smaller then males.

Comments: If proper steps are taken, this fish is very easy fish to breed, and it is recommended to have a seperate tank for the fry, preferably a 5 gallon or so. Due to their living conditions under the "Feeder Fish" tanks in pet stores, most are usually infected with fungus and various diseases. You can also order them online or can actually be found in cricks, streams, still water ponds, and trenches throughout the U.S.

This post has been edited by DeepSeaFishin: Apr 4 2007, 05:40 PM

Wild Bull-Head Male

they're also called fathead minnows.

here's some rosy reds:


ressurecting an old topic, heheh.