keeping minnows

Printable View

10-01-2010, 04:08 AM
fishbaskett

keeping minnows

Bought 6 dozen the other day, guy at bait shop did not count em, bet I got 8 dozen #5 crappie minnows. used only a couple dozen last week. Here is how I have kept the rest till today, one week later. I had a styrafoam ice chest given to me, it is real thick even the lid, it is one that people get their Chemo medicine in. I put about a gallon of tap water in then fill the rest of the way with water from my pond, might be 3 gallons all together, been using a small battery powered aireator. Every couple of days I dip out about half the water and replace it with water from my pond. Yesterday morning I took all the minnows out and placed them into 2 minnow buckets, each about 2 gallons and fairly well insulated, each filled with pond water. I dumped the old water out of the chest and rinsed it. then left it to air out. We were in the mid 80's yesterday, I left the 2minnow buckets on my carport in the shade with out any aireation (dead batteries) (did not loose one minnow) When I got in from work yesterday I refilled the chest, as before with some tap water and the rest pond water, then put all the minnows back in the chest with the small aireator in it, with new batteries (I have to go by me a 110 volt aquraium aireator). I have also been giving them a little floating fish food I feed the catfish in my pond. Today is my day off so I will not have to go hunt up bait this morning I can just head for the lake. Pretty simple but it seems to be keeping them alive very good. As the my pond cools and the air temp cools I will start placing the minnows I have left over after fishing in a container in the pond.
10-01-2010, 05:27 PM
azslabber

Sounds like it is working out good for you.Beats having to go buy new ones.
10-18-2010, 08:25 AM
rnvinc

Very similar to my setup there fishbaskett...

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/IMG_2558.jpg
10-18-2010, 03:47 PM
shipahoy41

I have a 35 gal aquarium set up just for that purpose. They will stay alive about five weeks before I use them all up and go and get 10 doz more. When I want to fish I just grab a doz and head out.
11-17-2010, 12:12 AM
Crappiegirl1

FYI here is florida they sell the "blue" thats put in the water at the bait shops. it is put in small vials, as not much is needed. i get an amount that will last me for several months in my large tank for around $3.00 or less. m(just in case you want to short cut the pond water) i then just change the "blue" water every couple weeks or as needed and put more "blue" in. sorry i do not know the chemical name. who knows maybe its green where you live?
11-17-2010, 01:41 PM
fishbaskett

I buy miinows from a shop that uses the blue powder, think I even have some of it somewhere. I have not been having to change the water out lately, since the weather got cooler. I have about 3 dozen left from my last trip, over a week ago, I just dumped in the lake water with them and they are looking great today, but they are going to get out and go search for crappie tomorrow.
12-14-2010, 08:13 AM
Benton B

So you like blue water? It's good stuff...

Sites that sell aquaculture chemicals sell methylene blue… and it’s cheap.

Methylene Blue: Methylene blue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

---Methylene Blue---
Methylene Blue is effective against skin and gill flukes, ick, velvet, fungus and many external parasites and bacterial infections. This compound is very safe to use even for many invertebrates. Methylene Blue works by staining cells and disabling their metabolism.

A positive side effect of this compound is the ability to increase hemoglobin (oxygen carrying cells) by transforming methemoglobin. Because of this characteristic, methylene blue can be used to treat nitrite and cyanide poisoning.
12-15-2010, 10:30 PM
fishbaskett

Thanks Benton B, interesting.
12-26-2010, 05:12 PM
tbone2374

1 Attachment(s)

Here's my set-up

This is my set-up. an old upright freezer, with a 5 gallon bucket as a filter. I even keep larger perch, for Catfishing. I have a 1 1/4 lb. Longear I've kept alive for 5 months. He's the biggest I've ever caught, and didn't have the heart to use him for bait or eat him. The "blue stuff" is called "Better Bait", and is sold @ BPS.
12-26-2010, 08:58 PM
fishbaskett

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbone2374

This is my set-up. an old upright freezer, with a 5 gallon bucket as a filter. I even keep larger perch, for Catfishing. I have a 1 1/4 lb. Longear I've kept alive for 5 months. He's the biggest I've ever caught, and didn't have the heart to use him for bait or eat him. The "blue stuff" is called "Better Bait", and is sold @ BPS.

Be interested how you rig that 5 gallon bucket as a filter.
12-28-2010, 05:09 PM
tbone2374

Fill it with rocks and sand for filter... Change and clean about every two weeks, or so.
12-31-2010, 10:16 PM
Grumpy

The blue stuff is Better Bait or Bait Saver. Then there's some that's a little greener that's called Shiner Life or Finer Shiner made for keeping shiner minnows. Most any bait shop should be willing to get you a jar of it. We used to buy the Better Bait in a gallon jug for around $15.00 when we sold minnows.
01-01-2011, 10:51 AM
fishbaskett

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbone2374

Fill it with rocks and sand for filter... Change and clean about every two weeks, or so.

Thanks for the reply. I just had a chest freezer go out this week, may try to use it. Still have to figure out how you route your air / water through the bucket?
01-01-2011, 11:26 AM
tbone2374

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishbaskett

Thanks for the reply. I just had a chest freezer go out this week, may try to use it. Still have to figure out how you route your air / water through the bucket?

******* Small pump to retrieve your water from the bottom...Into the top and filter through to your exit @ the side around 6' from bottom. Hope this helps!
01-04-2011, 09:01 AM
creekslick

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbone2374

Fill it with rocks and sand for filter... Change and clean about every two weeks, or so.

How do you keep the sand from running out into your minnow tank?