So just how large can this “minnow” get? Well, the Colorado pikeminnow is considered the largest American minnow and can grow to be six feet long and weigh a whopping eighty pounds!! The picture below is of one of the largest pikeminnows ever caught:
The pikeminnow has a long slender body that is olive-drab green in color with gold spots on its’ upper (dorsal) side. It has a large, thick-lipped mouth and its’ jaws lack teeth. However, this fish is by no means toothless; instead, it has teeth in its gills. Also referred to as pharyngeal teeth, these teeth grasp onto their prey for them as the prey is devoured which is one of the reasons why this fish is the top native predator of the Colorado River and its’ tributaries, like the Green River of Wyoming.