The fathead minnow, also known as toughie or flathead minnow, is a small, cylindrical, pug-headed fish, typically less than 3 inches in length. Normally-colored fish have dark olive backs fading to silver sides. A popular color variant of fathead minnow, called the rosy-red, is orange. These short-lived fish reproduce repeatedly in the spring by nesting on the undersides of firm surfaces, such as sticks, stones or lily pads. Pallets, boards or tiles are often added to ponds to increase nest site availability. Fathead minnows are a common bait and forage fish species. They are often stocked at the same time as fingerling largemouth bass to give the largemouth bass something to eat before the bluegill begin to reproduce. In ponds that already contain fish, fathead minnows are consumed rapidly and usually disappear altogether.