Preferences for familiar fish do not vary with predation risk in the European minnow

In the near‐natural conditions of a fluvarium in the River Frome, U.K., European minnows Phoxinus phoxinus displayed schooling preferences for familiar conspecifics. Schools were composed of 75% familiar fish. The minnows in this river co‐occur with many piscivores, the most notable being the pike Esox Iucius. The preference for familiar shoalmates was not increased by the threat of predatory attack from a model pike, despite the antipredator benefits afforded to individual members of schools of familiar fish.