Keeping minnows alive at home

[Hoss]

Got a cooler that holds 10 gallons of water, an aerator from a fish aquarium. How often do I gotta change the water. How long can I expect them to live?

[Roger Mayer]

Hi,

I use the same thing.

Make sure you have an areator stone. I change the water every day. But if you can't just don't let it turn brown. The minnows will start dying then. If you feed your minnow (I use Aquaminn fish food) they will last a long time.

Roger Mayer.

[Backwater Eddy]

I have found that for a gallon of minnows or less a large 7-DAY Styrofoam cooler rigged with a high output aquarium pump with a bubble stone keeps them a very long time.

I use a double feed high output pump with a duel regulator so I may regulate or aireate two coolers at once. Don't over crowd a cooler and they will do much better.

Styrofoam seems to be a better material then hard body cooler materials.

Keep them cool, clean, and well aireated they will do well.

Backwater Eddy

[Hoss]

Thanks guys - how long do you think? 2 weeks? 1 month? That would be cool, no stops before I launch the boat!

[BD]

Just a few things to add to the above;
1) Keep the minnows cool;
2) When changing the water make sure there isn't a big difference in temp. to prevent shock;
3)Don't use tap water unless you allow it to sit out in a seperate container for at least a day so the flourine etc. the utilities add has time to escape.

[kevin]

I keep mine in a 5 gallon bucket in the basement I change water every other day just strait from the tap no airator or any thing mostly 3 or 4 dozen at a time this is during winter,summer is much harder,u then need to keep the water cool with ice or a slow stream of waterand airaitor like most of your bait shops use

[STUMP]

Hey all:Coolers work great ,but if you have the room (2'x2')I use something thet works great.I have a plastic laundry sink that I use and keep in my garage.They cost about $15 at the hardware store,an 1 1/2 plug for the drain hole($1.50)and a fish tank filter for 30 gal tank($10..walmart).The sink holds about 30 or so gals. and with the filter you dont have to change the water.You dont need a pump as the water flowing from the filter puts more than enough oxygen in the water.I use mine all season long and have fresh lively bait at my disposal.It will hold your minnows,shiners andleaches all in the same place.Tight lines and bent poles to all!!! Stump

[Hoss]

Well, Things are going good with my minnow storage system. I bought these spottails last Thursday afternoon and the ones I didn't use are still looking good. These were what I consider to be the best looking shiners I've ever bought. I just couldn't bring my self to trash 'em. Problem is I don't know when I'll be able to use them next. Changing water once a day, Got a duel aerator pumping bubbles through 2 little diffusers hope they last a while - temp shouldn't be a problem as its 23 degrees here today. Thanks again for the help.

[vern]

well i guess i'm luckey, i have a sand point and i put then in a 5 gal bucket and fill with sand point water, then put lid on them and put in cool spot.
they are all but one or two at the end of a week still alive.

[gettum]

Great posts. I want to add just one thing about the water: if you get some cheap dechlorinizing solution at the pet store your minnows will be even happier when you do the water change. Just a drop a gallon will usually do the trick.

[Hoss]

Gettum...I am using water from a well, before it goes through a water softener even. I don't think I need the dechloronization stuff? But I do want happy minnows! Any other form of entertainment I should consider? Day 4 - minnies looking good!