Carps Minnows and Relatives: Cypriniformes

When threatened by a predator, or an animal that hunts and kills other animals for food, some carps and minnows release a substance that causes the fishes nearby to scatter and hide. This reaction signals the rest of the group to avoid the predator. Some species of loaches use their mouths to attach themselves to the bottom and avoid being swept away by currents. Carps and minnows spawn, or release eggs, mostly in spring and summer. Many species spawn only once in a breeding season, but some spawn more than once.