In the same stream near Toccoa, Georgia where we found the Watercress, some brightly colored minnows were swimming about. They were about three inches long. I did not have a net, so all I could do was take photographs through the water. Identifying them has turned out to be a real challenge. The males are in breeding colors. They have a light blue top of their head, shown in more detail in the photograph below.
The males also exhibit bright red fins, a dorsal gold colored stripe flanked by a light gold colored area.
Further down their sides is another broad gold colored stripe, below that is a broad black stripe, and lastly a light pink stripe below. The black stripe on their flank extends from the tip of their head, through their eyes, and through the tail fin to its tip.
I assume these are mating pairs with the less gaudy female with the males. Searching the internet along with consulting some of my books (Fishes of Alabama by Herbert T. Boschung Jr., and Richard L. Mayden for example) did not yield what seemed to be a match.
The closest match I could find on the internet Is Notropis pilsbryi, the duskystripe shiner, also known as Luxilis pilsbyri. One common name is the Bluenose Minnow. Unfortunately, this species is only found in the White (excluding Black River system) and Little Red River systems in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, USA.
So I don’t know what this species is, but it appears to be some species of Notropis or Luxilis. I would appreciate any help with the identification. Just leave a comment, or send an email to naturalistjournal@icloud.com and I will see it. Thanks in advance.