Minnow is a terminology used to describe many small fish.

Blacknose dace are also called minnows.
true, but seeing as the term minnow can describe both safe, and unsafe fishes, I prefer to not use the term minnow, ever, because newcomers may very well accidentally associate all minnows as being a good thing. Seeing as the only minnow really sold at pet stores is a bad one.... that association is not one I want to create.