Common minnow is a fish of cyprinid (or carp) family. It inhabits lakes and rivers of the Arctic Ocean from the Northern Dvina to Kolyma. It lives in the basin of the Pacific Ocean, the Black and Baltic seas. It has a dense, tall body, covered with a small goldish scales. It feeds on algae, insects and small benthic organisms. It is found in the basins of the Volga, the Oka, the Dnieper and the Vistula. The lake-dwelling minnow is a medium-sized fish. Its average length is about 10 cm. Large specimens reach a length of 15 cm and a weight of 100 g.