Thread: How many minnows in a day

It is a well settled fact in fisheries management that adult crappies prefer forage fish found in the open-water areas of reservoirs, particularly thread-fin and gizzard shad. As well understood, however, black crappies are often willing to feed on anything that fits into their mouths, including their own young but the rate of growth depends much more importantly on habitat, food availability and crappie population size for a given body of water.

In a natural setting: Too many crappies and not enough food results in slow growth or stunting. In an unnatural setting: The tremendous feeding and reproductive capabilities of crappie species also often results in stunting, particularly in small ponds or (I'm sure) in your much smaller artificial tank environment. IMO: The question of how many minnows will be the average number or right number to feed your black nose crappie; while largely given to speculation (on whatever theory) will eventually (surely) be overwritten (or re-written) by the confined space of the aquarium and the crappie's natural governance of digestion and energy expense verses pollution of their own environment due to the production of waste; both of which will cause the numbers of minnows to remain (both) variable and unpredictable throughout their whole life span I'm sure.

Perhaps the answer would be to go on a rotation plan of a dozen minnows one day (throughout the day) and two dozen the next (throughout the day) or something similar to that plan. I would also suggest the trial some other mixes of foods as well, such as shad, goldfish or smaller crawfish when the seasons or budget permits.

Throw in a Flinstones multivitamin at least once a day for maximum growth


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If they're only 3 or 4" dinks I would split the flintstone vitamins in half. Seriously I've had crappie in my fish tank and the main concern is keeping the water cold. I kept them alive for several months but when summer hit and the water warmed they died. Feed them a minnow etc. every day or other day and they should do fine.

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Lol so we got answers from 2 dozen to 1 a day! My water temp is about 76 and it’s inside and controlled so changes in season shouldn’t affect that. Does anyone think they won’t survive in that temp? Thanks again guys

Mine were white crappie if it makes a difference.

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Throw a crappie nibble in there and see what happens.

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So many useless answers....probably just need a couples sprays of Slab Sauce daily. Enough to create a good sheen on the water.


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I thought about trying to feed the nibbles and other commercial bait also between minnows. I wonder if something like that could be part of their diet