Common minnows. Common minnows swimming near a river bed. Also known as the Eurasian minnow, the common minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) is a small, gregarious freshwater fish of the carp family (Cyprinidae). It is found in cool streams and well-oxygenated lakes and ponds across much of Europe and northern Asia. Footage filmed in the River Teifi, Wales, UK.