Keeping minnows?

[DugOut]

I have been trying to raise minnows in a 30gal tank but for some odd reason they begin to die at a rate of atleast 7 a day after doing well for the first week or so.

I only keep around 20 in the tank at a time so over crowding isnt an issue.
I check that my water is balanced everyday.
I feed them natural foods recommended by the local fish and wildlife.
I filter the tank with a 40gal whisper filter. Due to how messy the little guys are.
I also use a powerhead and under gravel filter in order to keep constant water circulation.
I invented a water cooling setup that maintains a water temp of 63F.

What might I be missing here or do minnows carry some type of sickness that is easily spread to others?

 

[hc8719]

if they are wild, its stress...

recommended wildlife food? what are you putting in there? what do the other fish recommend?

go with flakes

the current may also be too strong, as well as perhaps your lacking a heater?

 

[coldmachineUK]

the current may also be too strong, as well as perhaps your lacking a heater?

They ought to be ok without one actually. Minnows are coldwater pretty much (or subtropical at a pinch). 18c-22c is a good enough temp for them.

What sort of minnows though?

 

[Cafe Jeff]

How long has the undergravel filter been working for?

 

[hc8719]

tank may also need cycling.

and while i know heaters arent mandatory, a slight amount of heat benefits the fish. chances are these fish were from a creek? so they do get some sunlight, and shallow water warms up fast.

but you dont need it, just an idea

 

[Cafe Jeff]

I am curious about that too.
It's not a big tank, I wonder if they would benefit from a water change from their own creek.
I have always wanted to take a go at local fish, but have never had a tank big enough.
Felicitations. Jeff

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Just a thought: is there adequate circulation?
Minnows, I imagine, must love it. Jeff

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Do you have a way of cooling the water? They are cold water fish. Check the temp in the creek.

 

[DugOut]

I catch them out of a mountain stream where thier water flows at a decent speed, for this reason I added a powerhead to thier tank.
The natural water temp of the stream is anywhere of 60-65 degree, The water temp of thier tank ranges within the specs.
I feed them blended up Grasshoppers, worms, ants and bloodworms. They love it. I will go out tomarrow and buy the wildlife food, I've seen it before at the pet store.
I try to keep my water changes at once a week(including the undergravel filter) but after I lose a couple minnows, I do a 50% water change inorder to correct the problem. "No Hope" Starts a chain reaction.
They dont seem to show signs of stress unless being netted, if it were stress how can I help make them more at ease?

When they die, it looks as if thier stomics open upand thier insides drop out. I dont know if that helps or not? This is why I was thinking there could be a sickness that they pass to no another or its just natural that this happens?

I found this site over a year ago and am so glad I did. You all are such a great help in these times of need!

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Now that is interesting.
Could it be bad/wrong diet that is killing them off.
Earlier, you said it took about a week before they became ill.
Keep us posted. Jeff

 

[hc8719]

a strong current may not be the answer, i mean how bustling are everyday creeks

 

[Cafe Jeff]

Depends on the creek I imagine.
Sounds like an infection/parasites that the minnows can deal with in the wild but not at home. Jeff

 

[fish_4_all]

30 gallon tank, 10 minnows max I would think, depending on size of course. The other thing, these fish will stress big time if they don't have some place to hide. Naturally they are always hiding from predators and each other and need the security of either plants or other structures to hide in. White worms, grindal worms and other live food should make them very happy. What did Fish and WIldlife recommend? 0

The colder water is a good idea, keeps infections down and prasites as well. One thing you might try is boiling your water. Flouride, chlorine, and other unnatural additives could very well kill the fish as it builds up in their systems.

As for water flow, fast is good, the powerhead should be a good thing and not a bad one. An airstone running full blast could help or running the powerhead on airate mode would help also because these fish are used to very high levels of oxygen in these cold streams. Even large ponds that have cold water and some warm water species have large waterfalls or fountains to airate the water for the fish.

You are on the right track, you just need to replicate their natural environment a little better. Once you get it closer to natural, I think they should live for quite a while.

 

[coldmachineUK]

Now that is interesting.
Could it be bad/wrong diet that is killing them off.
Earlier, you said it took about a week before they became ill.
Keep us posted. Jeff

I agree: based on your description of how they die, that seems more than likely either a parasite problem or a dietary problem.
Hope you can sort it

 

[DugOut]

The foods that I mentioned are the ones that were recommended by fish and wildlife. This is what they feed thier baby fish at first stage.
I honestly havent given them shelter but I will do so asap. Now thinking back to the time frame in which we catch them, 9am-5pm thier active in the stream but around 7pm they became mia. I bet that they do stress out in the evening because there isnt anything in the tank to hide themselves from night preditors.Not that there are any but they dont know that. This will be my step 1.
These little guys range from 1 to 2 inches in length. And they group themselves in schools so there is plenty of open area for them to wonder if they please.

I have plenty of air pumping through the powerhead and my whisperfilter.

I might add alittle pimafix and melafix to a sample tank to see if this may help.

Hey Thanks alot for your help and I will keep ya posted with fingers crossed!

 

[JohnPaul]

When they die, it looks as if thier stomics open upand thier insides drop out. I dont know if that helps or not? This is why I was thinking there could be a sickness that they pass to no another or its just natural that this happens?

This sounds very odd to me, and very suspicious. Do you ever see even the slightest evidence of this in the fish that are still living? Do the ones that die ever look the slightest bit sick, or are they fine one minute and dead the next morning?

When their stomachs open up, have you taken a close look? See anything that looks like a parasite in there? Or anything that looks like massive amounts of undigested food (whole ants, etc.)?

 

[flamingonhot]

First off, what are the "minnows"? Chubs, shiners, dace?

Second of all, shelter isn't such a big concern if your dealing with chub and shiners. Place a few plants at both ends and a few in the middle and it should do the trick. Most swim out int eh open water anyways. If you have something like dace though, shelter is more important.

When you catch them, slightly treat them for parasites. While it may not be a problem in the wild, the stress they go through may lower the immune system and a parasite will then show up stronger. When I catch feeders (shiners and the like) I treat for parasites the first two days,then I let them rest for a day or two, then start up fungus meds for the next few days. Parasites and fungus are the two types of diseases I see show up in wild caught fish the most.

And for the diet, change it. Feed worms now and then, but get them on fake food. Ocean nutrition and wardley brands are the greatest to convert them over. Ants should never be fed, to anything unless certain lizards . The contain a multitude of acids, etc. that most other insects don't contain, and it really stresses the digestive system.

HTH

 

[DugOut]

I use to catch chubs but these here are shiners. Last night I pulled one from the tank that had puffed up on the middle of one side, looked like cotton fungus in a way. This morning it was a floater.
Now if I wouldnt have removed it then, there would have been a couple others floating there with it. The rest are happily swiming this morning. Honestly, This occurs within a 24hr period. Fine one day- Dead the next.
I use to have a crayfish in the tank with them and blaimed it for attacking and killing them but its been in its own tank for atleast a month or so.

I'll treat them before putting them in population for now on and see if this is what I am needing. What should I use to kill parasites? I have 16oz bottles of pima and melafix. Is there any others that work for this type of illness?
I hate losing the little guys!....I'm starting to feel like Dr. Jeckle & Mr. Hyde!

 

[iPodGal]

If their stomachs are bursting open, I wonder if they are eating too much. Sounds like yummy food. My son just caught 2 minnows yesterday and we bought a brand new aquarium & the whole she-bang yesterday. I used to keep & (accidently) breed black mollys. I know a thing or two about fresh water fish. Thought the minnows would be easy-peasy. I was wrong. The 2 minnows we caught yesterday are dead this morning. I think stress may be the issue with mine. But if yours are bursting open at the stomach, I do feel they are probably eating too much. I know that fish need to eat so little and it sounds like you are feeding them such yummy awesome stuff; but you didn't mention how much. ------ Best wishes.