Preferences for familiar fish do not vary with predation risk in the European minnow

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Author: Griffiths, S. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1997
• Subjects: Minnows; The Minnows
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1997.tb01506.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8649.1997.tb01506.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1997.tb01506.x

In the near‐natural conditions of a fluvarium in the River Frome, U.K., European minnows Phoxinus phoxinus displayed schooling preferences for familiar conspecifics. Schools were composed of 75% familiar fish. The minnows in this river co‐occur with many piscivores, the most notable being the pike Esox Iucius . The preference for familiar shoalmates was not increased by the threat of predatory attack from a model pike, despite the antipredator benefits afforded to individual members of schools of familiar fish.