How to Keep Bait Minnows Alive at Home & 6 Reasons They Die

[@nx3980]

Great info. I will be implementing what you've taught on here.

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks. I'm glad it was helpful to you.

[@claytonbusbey122]

I've been working in the aquarium industry for nearly two decades. Just aerating water is no longer a good way of getting rid of chlorine. Most water purification plants have switched to using chloramine instead of chlorine. Chloramine is much more persistent and does require a chemical to remove it. You can get the stuff super cheaply at pet stores. Seachem's Prime is a great example of this. As a bonus, it will also bind up any ammonia in the water, making it non-toxic.

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks for the feedback. Another person commented about chloramine as well. I checked with my local water utility and surrounding utilities and they confirmed that they are not using chloramine at this time, but it is becoming more commonly used.

[@wesleyharden-nd8jf]

Will sure life better bait remove choramine?

[@Chad-pq5qy]

good information. i was going to make a similar comment about this.

[@paulmajor5585]

I've been working in the aquarium industry for 36 years and chloramine is harder to remove, but does not require anything more than extra time to remove it from water. 😊

[@glennkrzeminski7539]

Thank you for this info!

[@kayakfishingtactics6063]

Hands down the best 6 minutes on the internet for learning how to keep your minnows alive. Awesome content. Thank you! You've got a seminar of information packed into 6 minutes of easy to follow directions!

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks - glad you liked it!

[@HELIARCMASTER]

Agreed

[@the_old_standard]

seriously. straight to the point. intelligent. fast cuts . no fat. no babbling.

[@FishingwithNat]

@@the_old_standard That's my style. The right video length is the amount of time to get the important information across. No need to line it with junk to hit a particular video length.

[@PAULEYBOY84]

Yup

[@robertlee8400]

I started a Ruby Red minnow farm back in 2010 & 14 years later it’s still growing strong . Most of my friends & family come to see me if they need minnows , I have a great farm going so I don’t need to sell them to my friends & family I just give them away . I have filtration systems, cooling pads to keep the temperature just right so they can breed as needed , a good & strong food source , I keep the water clean & there’s plenty of hiding places for them to breed or hide . I have them on a dim light timer like the sun is coming up or going down , it comes on & gos off automatically . I use a medication for them that gives them a good slime covering & use fish antibiotics to keep them very healthy & Hardy . I have sucker fish that helps me keep the tanks clean & eats just about everything that’s left over & keeps algae off of everything so that’s a big help with keeping the tank clean . Small gravel helps with breeding also as well as clay pots for them to make homes in . I,m up to 6 , 200 gallon tanks & I don’t need much more than that & this all started from me & my cousin having leftover minnows & it just grew from there .

[@FishingwithNat]

Cool!

[@canadiangemstones7636]

This is pure awesome. I’d love to see your setup.

[@richardmatthys7133]

What do feed them?

[@conquistador69420]

Teach me

[@-Scotty]

In Australia you need to keep your minnows in a cooler that's insulated because soon as the water heats up the fish will start to vomit, when that happens you don't have long to water change and get the temp down or they'll die. Good video with lots of helpful information.

[@FishingwithNat]

Insulated coolers are definitely important if you're out fishing in the summer or in the direct sun. The water can reach lethal temperatures pretty quickly.

[@GenXMafia]

Here is another hack. Do not use square containers! I am sure many of you by now have seen the blue plastic 55 gal barrels you can buy these days. Simply cut one in half and follow all other directions in this video. The fish will tend to swim in circles and not hit their heads against the walls at all! Every Striper guide down here on Lake Cumberland, KY have round live wells for their bait (shad) for this very reason. This will increase their lives significantly! 😊

[@FishingwithNat]

That's a good idea!

[@bootysnatcher74]

Guides here in Eastern NC do the same

[@mr.shadestrains6033]

Good tip that’s also used when raising chickens baby chicks Round pen

[@Rick-the-Swift]

I've kept rosy red minnows in my aquarium, with no filter and no air pump for a few months now and they are all still doing quite well. Some lessons I learned, some were harder than others. 1. put rocks and aquatic plants in the water first, well before the minnows enter. The plants are great at filtering toxins from the water, but many, like java moss can change the water chemistry very quickly, which minnows hate. Rocks can also change the water chemistry. Also, adding rocks and plants to the water after you've added the minnows will only stress them out, after all who wants a giant hand coming in and out of their new home? 2. Give plenty of time to acclimate the minnows to their new tank- this means allowing the temperature of their bagged water to reach the same temp as the tank water, and it also means introducing the tank water chemistry to their gills very slowly and gradually. Just dumping all them into the tank without proper acclimation will almost certainly kill some of the fish and will guaranteed stress 100% of them. 3. If you see you're fish are stressed and trying to frantically escape the tank- even if they have good shelter, then you should very slowly cover the tank so that is it only dimly lit. Keep it covered for at least a day, and when you go to uncover it, do that very slowly as well. 4. Feed them flake food minimally, every other day, like stated in the video, but also let them hunt and forage for food. This is again where the plants are so important, as they will harbor all kinds of microscopic things for them to munch on. Allowing them to graze and forage is a great way to reduce their stress and improve their quality of life. 5. Add a bit of leaf litter and/or decaying plant material- again it's best to do this first, and only add a little at a time if added after the fish are in. I know it sounds like work, but it's honestly best to boil or at least soak the leaves for a long time to leach any tannins or other toxic chemicals from them. Adding too many un-boiled/un-soaked leaves too fast will surely change the water chemistry very quickly, likely stressing and/or killing some or all of your fish. 6. Add a little aquarium salt, or sea salt if that's all you have. Avoid the iodized stuff. And don't over do it. Dissolving a pinch or two of salt into a small cup of water then slowly adding that to the tank helps their immune system by giving them the trace minerals they need, and it also helps restore water quality, which reduces their stress levels. Key take aways- it's best to have their holding tank fully prepared with plants, rocks, gravel, leaf and plant decay well in advance of adding the fish. Acclimate them VERY slowly. Give them privacy with places to hide and forage. Avoid abrupt changes to water temperature and chemistry. And add a little aquarium safe salt to boost their immune systems. Hope someone may find this post helpful. Happy fish keeping 😊

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks for sharing your tips!

[@mastersoutdoors7814]

This is whiteout a doubt the best “how to minnow” video on KZbin . Thank you for the very informative video

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks - I appreciate it

[@erniefroehlich3282]

Very good information. If the water the minnows are in gets too warm, they will die quickly. I keep mine in between fishing trips in a container placed in a mini fridge with a small hole drilled through the top to pass the aerator line through and I keep it set at 55 degrees. I use a small cooler as a bait well with an empty Gatorade bottle filled with filtered water and frozen. Keep your minnows cool and they will last a lot longer

[@FishingwithNat]

Definitely. Their metabolism slows down and they are less stressed at lower temperatures.

[@hockingangler1334]

I just started farming creek chubs and have lost over 5 dozen....probably could have been less if I had watched this first. Great video thanks for making this.

[@FishingwithNat]

Creek chubs are prone to darting around the container and slamming into the walls if they don't have a good hiding spot and plenty of room. They often damage the skin on their heads and develop infections.

[@123Cards.]

I kept about 20-30 creek chub in my basement for over a month with just an aerator and a single rock, not a single one died.

[@joeeastes9351]

We're you located

[@isabellaasselmeier3635]

I never would’ve thought to look up how to keep minnows live, but a great skill to know

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks - glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Towner101]

“How to keep you minnows happy and healthy before you stab them in the face with a hook” 🤣🤣

[@FishingwithNat]

Yeah that's pretty accurate

[@brandonedwards9812]

I had about 50 to start, 2 weeks later had 3 left, thought that was pretty good...mind you I took several on 3 occasions to fish. Learned some things from this video, I could still have another dozen alive, cheers!

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks for the comment. Good luck and tight lines!

[@SmokeyBear02]

Many cities use chloramine instead of chlorine in water treatment, and sloshing the water or boiling it will not remove the chloramine like it would chlorine. You need to use either reverse osmosis, catalytic carbon filtration (NOT the typical granular activated carbon Brita pitcher filter), or an aquarium tap water conditioner (active ingredient: sodium thiosulfate). You can check with your city's water department about what they use in their process. An alternative in a cold climate is to melt some clean snow.

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks for the comment. I've heard of adding chloramine to water supplies for a longer usable period of disinfection but all of the municipalities around here still use chlorine to my knowledge. Good tip though - some people may want to check with their water utility to find out which chemical they add to the water. The melted snow tip is good too, although it would take a large quantity of snow to half-fill the tub I used in this video!

[@SmokeyBear02]

@@FishingwithNat Heh, yeah. One 5 gal bucket of packed snow melts to about under 1 gallon of water.

[@dougfoust117]

Came to make the same comment. I killed an entire tank because I didn't know about it when I moved once. Now I just use the treatment regardless. It's cheap enough, and I know it won't happen again.

[@NathanHoyt]

Remove and replace water equivalent to 1/10th of the volume of the container each day to keep ammonia, nitrates and nitrates from the minnow waste/wasted food from accumulating to unhealthy levels and, if you keep them a while, to keep algae from taking over. Keep chlorine remover on hand. It takes the guess work out of whether your municipality uses chlorine or chloramine.

[@dougfoust117]

@@NathanHoyt no one asked for shitty water change advice. How are you going to throw out a hard 10 percent per day, with no idea of the stock or load people are dealing with? Can you just not help yourself, you had to make sure three random strangers on the internet were aware that you know stuff?

[@stephanvonwolf5666]

By the way I forgot to mention this is really good information! You did an amazing job Gathering the information and presenting it in a very easy to understand fashion that even I could understand . I can't imagine how anyone could have done this any better at all? Kudos! And I subscribe and like

[@FishingwithNat]

Thank you - I appreciate it.

[@girlbuu9403]

"Stress" Flashing back to playing with them as a kid and kind of shifting my eyes around nervously remembering my grandfather having no idea why they kept dying.

[@FishingwithNat]

Haha

[@5ENNA]

I've been keeping my left over minnows in a black container with an bubbler and theyve been doing great with no casualties. In the past, I've put them in bright or see through containers...and they ended up dying from stress.

[@FishingwithNat]

Yes - the sudden changes in light are very stressful for minnows.

[@DtKnize]

Wow! Awesome information Nat! I don't know how much money myself and my friends have wasted throwing away dead minnows. We were thinking of buying a cheap clear glass aquarium but the opaque container is super cheap and a great idea. So many times my wife and I wanted to go fishing but the bait shop was closed or too far to drive, now we can have minnows on demand. Can I mix different sizes and types of minnows in the same container?

[@FishingwithNat]

Yes, mixing them is OK, but keep in mind that large shiners or suckers could kill smaller minnows by darting violently around the container if they get spooked. Don't create any sudden intense changes in light levels and make sure there are plenty of hiding places.

[@adammitchell3462]

I love to fish and want to maintain my own bait supply. I am also a novice home brewer and the same thing that minnows need to be healthy and happy is pretty much the same thing to maintain a healthy ,unstressed yeast colony... incredible

[@FishingwithNat]

Haha that's cool to know!

[@VizardKusa]

Thank you! I've found Seachem Prime is a cheap chemical used to immediately neutralize chlorine and chemicals in city water for fish tanks. I literally pour it in my big tanks as I start the garden hose and fish have been fine for years. It lasts forever as it's concentrated. Works great for minnows! Just Seachem Prime, tote, hides, water, cheap $10 air pump with cheap air stone. Mine do great.

[@FishingwithNat]

Cool, thanks for sharing!

[@xdrozzyx]

I enjoy fishing but maybe it's just me. If I'm building safe spaces, feeding them and optimizing water for the fish they're pets at that point. I don't want them to die after taking care of them. I'll stick to fake baits.

[@FishingwithNat]

That's fair. Thanks for the comment.

[@artharrison294]

Good info. I’ve read that the fatheads and most minnows are not expected to live much beyond 12 or 13 months. I’d think an 18 monther is near beyond his expiration date. I want to treat them well, but no attachments. I tend to keep them around for thier mosquito control abilities, though I think the temps in Southern California tend to be a bit high for them. mosquito fish and guppies tend to to tolerate warm better

[@Treyno94]

Great tips. I’m surprised you didn’t go over water temp much. I try to my temp better 50-55 degrees. Helps me keep them alive. I’ll have to add cover for now on

[@FishingwithNat]

Cooler water definitely helps, but I tried to keep the setup in this video as low maintenance as possible.

[@Treyno94]

@@FishingwithNat it’s funny how after a week you feel like they become your pets lol

[@FishingwithNat]

@@Treyno94 Yes, I've noticed that too. Especially if you keep them for a month or two.

[@FoulMouthFishing666]

Man this video couldve saved me so much money and headache over the years lol great vid thank you!

[@FishingwithNat]

Glad you found it helpful - thanks for the comment!

[@RipperYouTubeOfficial]

Do minnows have to have an aerator, or can they breathe from above the surface like a goldfish can?

[@FishingwithNat]

Generally, no. Most fish cannot breathe air (exceptions would be bowfin, gar, and carp/goldfish). "Minnows" are in the same family as carp and goldfish, but most common bait minnow species are not nearly as tolerant of low oxygen levels as carp and goldfish are. They cannot breathe air but they may try to pull in water from the surface through their gills if the dissolved oxygen gets low, because there is a bit more oxygen in that water at the surface where oxygen is diffusing in from the air. It's best to use an aerator or keep them in a large volume of water and shake up some water once in a while as shown in this video.

[@jkg6211]

Well done. Almost the same as keeping our local bait shrimp alive. I made a Bio-filter+aerator for my 38 gal livewell. It kept 150 - 175 or so alive and happy for 3+ months. Fed'm dry cat food and changed the water every week.

[@FishingwithNat]

Very cool

[@TheBeefSlayer]

I had not thought about them fighting the current from the air pump. That’s probably why I’m losing them after about 2 days. Thanks!!!!

[@FishingwithNat]

It's exhausting. Definitely good to give them some hiding spots to take a rest.

[@cannibalholiday]

Anyone planning on keeping them at home, learn about the Nitrogen Cycle in aquariums. 1) Get a sponge filter for your air pump line instead of an air stone. This cheap method (4 to 10 dollars) both aerates the tank and provides surface area for the bacteria that eat ammonia produced by the fish. Most of those little floaters you find are the ones who died from ammonia poisoning first. If you have a friend who keeps freshwater fish, get them to stick the sponge filter in their tank for a week to a month before you use it, to establish bacteria. 2) Some towns use both chlorine AND chloramines. Chloramines will persist long after the chlorine and are still bad for the fish. A bottle of Seachem Prime (18 USD) will last you a long time, and can treat a gallon of chlorinated water with one or two drops. 3) The more surface area the better. See point number one about the bacteria. Your minnows will be overcrowded as heck in 10 gallons of water, so either aim for more or add as much surface area as you can for bacteria to live on. Ammonia is the enemy, so convert as much of it as possible to nitrite or nitrate as fast as you can. (Prime can also bond ammonia, but the bond slowly breaks down so you either need to keep adding drops of Prime, or have the ecosystem in place to digest the ammonia as the bond breaks)

[@FishingwithNat]

Good tips for those looking to keep a large number of minnows or keep them for a long time.

[@thanhavictus]

A lot of aquarium owners need to learn these same lessons too, even just for normal fish. Especially the thing about water current as a lot of filter pumps will basically prevent the fish from sleeping

[@FishingwithNat]

I agree

[@AncientCreature-i2o]

Excellent video. I appreciate your sharing of the knowledge you have regarding proper minnow keeping. I have one rosy red minnow as a pet and he seems happy.

[@FishingwithNat]

Cool. Rosy reds make easy and beautiful pets!

[@johnmeyer6197]

What my father and I did for summer and winter fishing is take a small container used to carry an drink in such as Gatorade. Take container fill with water and place counter in ice box until completely frozen. Place iced container in container with minnows. This will help keep minnows alive.

[@FishingwithNat]

Yes, chilling the water lowers the metabolic rate of the minnows and lowers their need for oxygen. You do have to be careful about keeping their water at a drastically different temperature than the lake/river though. It can be a big shock to them and it can cause them to die shortly after they get into the lake.

[@jameslow5536]

Nice.. was unaware of the impact current would have inside the container.. ty

[@FishingwithNat]

Current is good to deliver oxygen, but it takes a lot of energy for a fish to battle current all day long.

[@K3Flyguy]

Very good content, well presented and over all quite well done. Thank you! I liked and subscribed!

[@FishingwithNat]

Thank you - I appreciate the comment!

[@daveg2199]

Thank you for this fantastic video!! Can the 10 % down be from a heloc or will the bank get weird about that?

[@FishingwithNat]

No heloc needed to keep minnows alive at home. 🙂

[@daveg2199]

@@FishingwithNat oh my gosh totally replied on the wrong video 😂

[@tomecalm7]

Just ran across your channel. The air hose full blast in the bucket was gold! 🤣

[@FishingwithNat]

Haha I'm glad you enjoyed that part. :)

[@dand1587]

Great video! How large of a container do you recommend I use for keeping about 3 dozen small to medium minnows?

[@FishingwithNat]

I would recommend at least a 15gal container (with at least 10gal of water in it). Even bigger (20-25gal) would be better.

[@dand1587]

How often do you recommend changing the water? And do you need to change out all the water or can you just change about half the water? Thanks again!

[@FishingwithNat]

@@dand1587 You can do a partial water change. About half is a good amount to change at a time. For 3 dozen small/medium minnows in 15gal of water, I think you could go several weeks without changing it. Change it more often if it's visibly dirty with a lot of fish waste or food, or if you have had multiple fish die.

[@joelstanhope7231]

Water circulating thru copper pipe will kill bait as well . Know a bait dealer that lost 300 minnows in 2 days because of that , hard lesson

[@corey8420]

I have had an aquarium full of menos for a year now as pets, one of my most favorite aquariums I have, they are super interactive and simply just fun. Even trying to keep them as pets and as an experienced aquarium person I had 25% die within the first couple months. Change 25% of the water every 2 weeks. Use dechlorinator when doing water changes.

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks for the feedback. There are so many minnow species out there and many of them make very interesting and attractive pets!

[@Southern_Perspective]

Which pump were you referring to at 5:25?

[@FishingwithNat]

Any aquarium air pump. It doesn't need to be anything special. A small pump with a short section of air line tubing and an air stone.

[@TheHousedigs]

Great lesson in minnow keeping. 👍

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks

[@icefishingpandas]

Ammonium buildup is what kills the majority of bait in most cases. I do 100% water changes daily and make sure the replacement water is the same temperature as the water the minnows are in. I also keep them in a small bait bucket the fridge. Like everyone else said, keeping them cold is important

[@FishingwithNat]

Yeah cold water slows down their metabolism which reduces their need to feed (less food waste buildup) and also slows down the decomposition of waste products that contaminate the water. Frequent water changes (at the same temperature) are very important when using a small volume of water.

[@bassanglerxxx8444]

This makes so much sense I've struggled with keeping them alive and buying the little purifier tablets for oxygen didn't do anything

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks for the feedback

[@justinniemann1585]

This is such a great video. Going to try this with some creek and rainbow chub i catch with my kids

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback!

[@kimwilson861]

Is it better to keep minnows in water that’s sourced from their natural habitat (the water they were caught in) or to use fresh “tap” water that’s been treated as you describe for chlorine removal?

[@FishingwithNat]

I would recommend tap water without chlorine (either by removing the chlorine or by using well water). Some states have laws against transporting lake or river water because of the microorganisms/diseases that could be in the water, so it's best to keep that to a minimum.

[@surffishermanandcrossbowki9457]

Thx man lifelong minnow catcher and keeper and I will add some hiding spots! That is the one thing I do not do. appreciate your passion

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks for the comment :)

[@FishingwithNat]

The minnows will appreciate it!

[@MnNative]

Great information. Another question is how to keep minnows alive in minnow bucket at dock. Even keeping in shade and dipping in and out for oxygen hasn't helped alot. Maybe they get stressed in bucket?

[@FishingwithNat]

Keeping them in the shade is good. They can get stressed just from the vibrations of someone walking on the dock, which shakes the bucket. Minnows associate sudden, strong vibrations with a predator nearby. If there are constantly large vibrations that come and go, they will get stressed out. Water temperature, crowding, oxygen levels, and waste buildup can all have effects on minnows in a bucket too. Also remember that bait stores are frequently removing dead minnows from their tanks, and the ones you just bought for your bucket may already be sick or dying from stress, disease, etc.

[@MnNative]

@@FishingwithNat thanks for the reply...I have brought a bag of minnows to the bucket only to see several with "scum" on their sides. With the cost of minnows, they are precious. Thanks again.

[@FishingwithNat]

@@MnNative That's likely the start of a fungal infection. The high stress of being in a crowded tank at the bait store can suppress their immune systems and make it easier for infections to spread between fish.

[@MnNative]

@@FishingwithNat maybe you start a second channel...."the Minnow Whisperer"

[@brockschannel3927]

I'm trying to make an aquatic vivarium that's sealed with no water recycling aside from condensation, and I'm trying to keep minnows and snails as the main inhabitants. Any tips?

[@FishingwithNat]

That sounds really cool and interesting. I don't have much advice to offer, but I'd suggest keeping the populations of snails and minnows fairly low to make sure that the environment can process the amount of animal waste effectively without any buildup of toxic materials.

[@KeikoBushnell]

THANKS❤ ....but two things: 1. How long should you dump the water back and forth to aerate/dechlorinate? 2. Shouldn't you also climatize the water to the same temperature before dumping the fish in?? Oh & 3: I understand turning the light on or off could scare them but it seems a little nicer to them to have a light than to have them living in pitch Black.... I mean that's their ENTIRE Life. (ALTHOUGH I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULDN'T EVEN CARE... BUT LUCKILY YOU WEREN'T BORN A MINNOW) You might as well make it a little bit nicer, right??✌🏼😘

[@KeikoBushnell]

Other than that, this was very informative and a very helpful video. Thank you!

[@FishingwithNat]

I dump the water back and forth 6-8 times from fairly high up to really mix up the water. Yes, you are correct that it's important to have the temperature similar between the new water and the old water. I use a translucent tub that lets some light through and usually keep the lid open a bit, so the minnows are not living in complete darkness. They prefer lower light conditions, even in the wild.

[@aliveandkicking1977]

Very instructive...I mostly rely on my cat to stir the water with his paw, the ones that miss him and the turtles end up on the hook anyway either as live or dead bait. It seems to me that the worst thing is when you put them in tap water because of the chlorine, I have a barrel with rainwater in it, and in a favorite location I made a small pool that is occasionally visited by ducks, but it's all for sport.

[@FishingwithNat]

That works, although sharing the container with cats and/or turtles is generally not recommended! 😆

[@crisalykaios8216]

Got mine in a 20 gallon fish tank. Had 26. A couple seemed not so well off. And ended up dying. They got some hidie holes, but by this I need more. QUESTION: What's the optimal temperature to keep the water at? Also, I have cats that love watching the lil swimmers and even with the cats by or on tank they've been coming up to eat. QUESTION: Are cichlid or koi pellets okay for them?

[@FishingwithNat]

The optimal temp will depend on the species. Fathead minnows or mudminnows are happy in warmer water (60-75*F), shiners and suckers tend to prefer cooler water (40-60*F). It takes more work and energy to keep the water cool, but cooler temps will keep the fish's metabolism slower, which consumes less dissolved oxygen and produces less fish waste. Pellet foods are fine as long as the pellets are small enough for them to eat whole. If the pellets are too big and need to dissolve / break apart before the minnows can eat them, that will probably cause a lot of extra food waste and that could cause water chemistry problems.

[@billsutorius2753]

Really great video!!! Thank you! I learned some valuable information. 👍🎣🇺🇸

[@FishingwithNat]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the comment.

[@bobbyboucher1936]

"No minnows were harmed in the making of this video"

[@FishingwithNat]

You are correct. No minnows were harmed.

[@jamescraig8601]

Then why do we dead fish floating ?

[@castlewilliams4833]

@@jamescraig8601 simply actors my friend

[@yangler9935]

​@@jamescraig8601 anesthetics

[@bstract_w5]

They were already dead before filming.

[@nengervang]

Good info. I found it mostly interesting, but I've never been able to get minnows to eat food in my fish tank for a week. Always tried flakes. They always just starve to death. I would try this again, but luckily, I've learned how to fish w/o minnows. Thanks to jigging raps and blade baits for walleyes.

[@FishingwithNat]

A lot of fish will hesitate to eat for at least several days after they go into a fishtank or container, but the quicker they relax, the more likely they will eat. If they are able to hide and feel safe, they will relax. A clear aquarium is a very stressful place for a fish - they see things (predators?) moving around and the light levels change dramatically all the time. It's pretty confusing and scary for a fish.

[@touxiong625]

Question! I have about 3 dozen of shiners and would the same principle for minnows apply for shiners too?

[@FishingwithNat]

Yes. Shiners in general prefer cooler water or some water movement, but otherwise everything else would be true for shiners too.

[@Megarobotsquadron]

I've had two minnows in a 4 gallon aquarium for about 8 months now. I have lots of plants and dark areas to hide. Lots of filtration, too. They seem to be doing well so far

[@FishingwithNat]

Cool

[@Megarobotsquadron]

@@FishingwithNat It was a paludarium build I did and I never got around to putting frogs in it. So these guys seem pretty happy

[@FishingwithNat]

@@Megarobotsquadron Cool. I had a paludarium a long time ago with minnows, a turtle, and a snake. The snake and turtle would hunt minnows together and then hang out on land under the heat lamp. That was a really neat setup to watch.

[@FTFSupremacyROBLOX]

Depending on how many you have you may not need an aerator, a hangonback filter or sponge filter will probably agitate the surface enough for optimal oxygen exchange.

[@FishingwithNat]

Those would be options too. The air pump was included in this video because it's the simplest option for someone who just wants to quickly put something together to keep some minnows alive for a few days or weeks. Thanks for the discussion.

[@FTFSupremacyROBLOX]

@@FishingwithNat You might not even need an air pump, you might just be able to aim a fan at the surface of the water, you won't have to worry about cold as minnows live outside all year and being colder will just reduce their metabolism making them less stressed and possibly even living longer.

[@FishingwithNat]

@@FTFSupremacyROBLOX Definitely - colder water temps don't harm them at all. As you said, the lower stress and metabolic rates are actually helpful to keep them happier and healthier. The fan might be adequate depending on the number of minnows in the water and how often waste is removed from the container. There would be a point where consumption of oxygen from the minnows and the bacteria breaking down the waste would exceed what could diffuse into the water from the surface. In that case, an aerator that can produce lots of bubbles with lots of surface area for oxygen diffusion would be more effective at keeping oxygen levels high.

[@FTFSupremacyROBLOX]

@@FishingwithNat Yeah, I'm just thinking of somebody who's never kept fish for bait and doesn't have an aerator, but true it is the best for oxygen diffusion, also if you have a strong light it might be worth growing some algae as it will not only filter the water but add a passive food source for the fish.

[@MLM111]

I love these little guys❤ I keep them in my koi pond to help eat algae and they thrive.

[@FishingwithNat]

Cool

[@StormLaker]

Im learning on the fly right now on a fishing trip with my frabil magnum minnow cooler. Will go find some stones to give them a place to hide.

[@FishingwithNat]

Sounds like a good plan to me. The minnows will appreciate it.

[@shughalonly4724]

Any guideline about the quantity of food to be put..any rough estimate ?

[@FishingwithNat]

It depends on water temperature and the number of minnows. With room temperature water, I'd say 3-4 fish flakes or shrimp/bloodworms per fish.

[@shughalonly4724]

@@FishingwithNat got it ...thanks a lot .. this much info is more than enough 🙌

[@FishingwithNat]

@@shughalonly4724 I'm glad you found it helpful.

[@csaa1980]

Just get some dechlorinator and slime coat preserver from the pet store. Capful in a five gallon bucket and they will live all summer. They make a pump/filter for a 5gallon bucket as well

[@FishingwithNat]

That works too. I was trying to keep it as simple and inexpensive as possible in this video.

[@littlehawk299]

I got 10 today and have them in a fish bowl just to look at. I need to make some changes as u pointed out but can I leave them in the see through fish bowl? Great vid 🐠

[@FishingwithNat]

You can, but they might freak out with any sudden light changes or when you walk by. Make sure they have something to hide in/behind to get away from bright light or anything else that may spook them. Thanks for the comment.

[@littlehawk299]

@@FishingwithNat thanks for the reply, Ive put some plants inside today that I got from the pet store and a hiding rock, along with water drops etc. Ended up buying 6 more 🙄. It's lovely though watching them. It's relaxing.

[@FishingwithNat]

@@littlehawk299 Sounds great. I have a 55-gallon aquarium and I can watch the fish all day. As you said, very relaxing.

[@ken-gp8np]

I have a rosy red minnow and my filter creates a bit of aeration. She always hangs out in a back corner, sometimes coming out to eat or see the other fish, but she spends most of her time there. I put an unglazed ceramic pot in the corner so she could hide inside and now she’s hiding in the other corner instead or between the pot and tank glass. There is also a cave structure she hides in so idk why she refuses the pot. Does this sound like stressed behaviour to you? Thanks

[@FishingwithNat]

That's interesting. How long has the rosy red been in the tank? Does the cave have a hole that would let a bit of light in? The pot could be too dark inside that the fish is uncomfortable with it.

[@Certified_outdoorsman]

I’ve only done this once but with your minnows if you change there water and oxygenate it then put it in a fridge with the fish they won’t die I left them in there for a week without a air pump no death about 12 in a 1/2 gallon

[@FishingwithNat]

The cold water would have slowed their metabolism enough that they would not require much oxygen. As long as there is enough water, this can work for a while.

[@merlin4real]

I have an aquarium in my basement that always has fatheads in it. Sometimes the snakes get one, but otherwise they mostly just hang out. They are very active and fun to watch. One tip throw in some hornwort. It's hard to kill and it will eat the excess ammonia and nitrates.

[@FishingwithNat]

I've kept minnows in aquaria, including planted ones (with hornwort and other species) and they are fun to watch. This video is more about keeping them in a very simple setup for later use as bait, but a lot of minnows make good pets too.

[@merlin4real]

@@FishingwithNat for sure. I use them as bait also, and for feeder fish sometimes. i just have lots of tanks so it makes sense for me. Even in a bucket I would still drop a plant in. Hornwort grows wild here so I just scoop some out of the lake. Might not be perfectly legal I suppose, but it's not a protected plant so it works for me.

[@FishingwithNat]

@@merlin4real Oh yeah it's a super common plant all over the place (known as coontail in the wild). It tolerates low light and high nutrients really well. Does it drop a lot of leaves in the tank? It's always shed a ton of leaves when I use it in planted tanks.

[@merlin4real]

@@FishingwithNat if it dies back at all it will drop bits yeah. Usually its either not getting enough light, maybe from poor lighting or just have to much so its shading part of itself out, or it is stuck on the bottom and can't float so the part that's stuck dies so the rest can escape. Sometimes people try to shove part of it into substrate so it looks like other aquarium plants and that will kill the buried bit. In a tank of minnows it's probably not short on nutrition.

[@FishingwithNat]

@@merlin4real Cool. In the wild it's free-floating and anchored in the sediments but you're probably right on the lighting being the issue in an aquarium unless you have a nice HID light system.

[@Brunnen_Gee]

I'll expand on a couple things. I've been heavily involved in the aquarium hobby for a long time, professionally and as a hobbyist, and there are a lot of crossovers here. When talking about pollution in the water, you have to take the nitrogen cycle into consideration. Fish produce waste. Uneaten food turns into waste. A dead fish is waste. That waste is organic, and when organics break down, ammonia is produced (there are also other byproducts, all of which are toxic to fish in varying degrees). Ammonia is highly toxic and is the number one killer of fish in a habitat that hasn't been properly set up in advance to receive fish. To combat this, you need to do one of these things, very frequent water changes, put them into a properly "cycled" (as in a bacteria population has been established in the environment to handle organic waste byproducts, not something you'll do in a temporary bait tank), or use some kind of product to bind those byproducts and make them temporarily inert (you still have to do water changes with these products). I've seen all sorts of these products marketed for bait tanks, but you can get something much cheaper meant for the aquarium side that does the same thing. Seachem Prime is a go to for most enthusiasts in the aquatics hobby. The stuff marketed for bait tanks does the same thing, but much more expensive because reasons. Another big thing is shock. Shock is when a fish goes from one water into another water that has different parameters than what it's used to. Shock can easily kill fish. This can be temperature, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and a number of other things. Even taking a fish from "bad" water and putting it directly into "good" water can shock and kill a fish. They need to be properly acclimated. Most are familiar with floating a bag for temperature acclimation, but there is also a process called drip acclimation where you slowly acclimate them to other parameters as well.

[@FishingwithNat]

Great information. Thanks for sharing.

[@rickstephens-e8p]

I owned a bait shop several years. Reason they die is people you buy them from keeps their water to cold so they don't die on them . Soon as water warms up it shocks them. And most dont put water in your bucket out of their tank and it shocks them second you purchase them .

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks for the feedback. Sudden changes in temperature (up or down) can be killer.

[@Smoothpursuit]

Great video, great science experiment 🎣

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks - I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Sikorsky66]

Congratulations you are now a fish keeper.

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks. I'm honored to be here. 😆

[@anonsforever_cloud]

This helped me a bunch. Thank you very much.

[@FishingwithNat]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@josephsnisky1851]

Backwards swimming fish or forward walking crab, which is the best bait for fishing ?

[@FishingwithNat]

Hmm, it's the eternal question!

[@Itsyogirlbrooke20134]

Thank u for information it is working my minnows are still alive

[@FishingwithNat]

Wonderful. Thanks for sharing!

[@mombradshaw5528]

I have minnows as pet fish. They recognize you when you come into the room. I use Britta water and fish flakes..but I don't need a filter. I change mine every third day

[@FishingwithNat]

Cool. Many types of fish from a bait store actually make great pets.

[@Letmesolothis]

I own a bait shop and new to bait fish I have a fx6 filter fluval filter do you think I need a chiller for fish ? I mean it’s a 10 by 16 shed good ventilation inside.

[@FishingwithNat]

Where are you located? Is the shed in the sun or shade? Some species handle warm water well if there is some circulation but others like shiners prefer cooler conditions (and circulation if possible)

[@Letmesolothis]

@@FishingwithNat it’s a shed 10 *16 barn and I have a bait and tackle shop inside and it’s insulated

[@StromquistOutdoors]

I'd get a chiller and keep your water at 53 degrees. They will last longer and have less waste

[@FishingwithNat]

@@StromquistOutdoors I agree. If you are housing a lot of minnows or doing this all year long, it's worth investing in a chiller system. This video was mostly aimed at people keeping a bucket's worth of leftover minnows for a few weeks or a month rather than a commercial operation.

[@efrawley55]

Did I mess where you told what kind of meter your using? The only one I could find from FSI (I saw the name on your video) was $1900.00

[@FishingwithNat]

Dissolved oxygen meters come in all sorts of models that can test various parameters and with various cable lengths (for reaching way down into a lake). The one in the video is from YSI - they make a lot of different models but yeah, they are pricey. I borrowed that one from a friend.

[@crazycomments8038]

Wow, interesting information for newbies like me!!

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@RobHorror240]

Do these tips also work if I want to keep them as pets?

[@FishingwithNat]

Yes, but I would set them up in a normal aquarium rather than a plastic tub if you are planning to keep them for a long time as pets.

[@RobHorror240]

@@FishingwithNat O.K. good because I already added them to a 20 gallon tank. They seem happy so far.

[@FishingwithNat]

@@RobHorror240 Perfect

[@dave-yj9mc]

Very informative! I want to raise my own flatheads. I think spawing temp is 65ish. I just came upon a 150? gallon container, can you recommend a way to get and keep a stable water temp in winter. Or is it easier to get them to spawn in a small aquarium, then transfer them.?

[@FishingwithNat]

If you're going to raise fathead minnows (you meant fathead, not flathead, right?), I'd recommend you set up an indoor aquarium. Otherwise, it will be too difficult to maintain spawning temperatures. Spawning is a stressful activity for a fish, so you don't want to add more stress with wide temperature fluctuations. Fatheads like to spawn on the underside of hard objects. You can get some hard plastic caves at a pet shop or just cut some 4 or 6-inch PVC pipe in half the long way and they will lay eggs on the ceiling of those.

[@jacksonvang2946]

Thank you ! For this best video. Do more pls.

[@FishingwithNat]

Glad you enjoyed it - thanks.

[@wayneblanchard4347]

Spot on information. Thank you.

[@FishingwithNat]

I appreciate the feedback - thanks

[@tj2484]

I caught four black nose daces from my local stream 2 months ago. I have them in a 40 gal tank. everything that is in the tank except the plants, one rams horn snail, and a cap layer of pool filter sand come from the local area around the stream. They are doing absolutely great even though the wood I put in there started growing fungus and black beard algae. I want to see if I can breed them in the tank. Any suggestions?

[@FishingwithNat]

Blacknose dace are super cool. I've had them in aquariums too. They spawn in shallow gravel riffles, so I think you'd have a really hard time replicating that sort of condition in an aquarium.

[@tj2484]

@@FishingwithNat I was thinking of getting a kids pool from DG and filling the bottom with local stones from the same creek and putting an over powered internal filter in for fast water movement if they don't spawn by next spring time. What do you think?

[@tj2484]

@@FishingwithNat kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnXNiXuGZdp1d9U here is a one minute video of them. Please forgive the algae on the tank, I was not planning on sharing this video so it is what it is.

[@FishingwithNat]

@@tj2484 I think it sounds like a lot of work! Be careful about local regulations of hauling all that gravel out of a local stream too. You might be better off just catching a few more dace with a net if you want more?

[@tj2484]

@@FishingwithNat my local pet store said they would be willing to try and sell them.

[@hartneyhearthrob]

awesome video, keep up the good work

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks

[@publicmultch8208]

Say I buy minnows one day before my fishing trip, I do have an aerator, and an insulated bait bucket, is it necessary to keep the pump running constantly? I've never bought them a day early and am worried ill wake to a minnocaust. Thx

[@FishingwithNat]

Depends on the number of minnows, temperature of the water, and volume of water. The oxygen supply is higher with a larger volume of water and with a lower temperature. More minnows will consume the oxygen faster. You could put the minnows into a much larger container for the day and then move them back to your bait bucket before the trip. Or you could just run the aerator the whole time in the bucket. Keep in mind that oxygen isn't the only issue to keep an eye on though (as outlined in this video).

[@panzerwolf494]

I've kept them in an aquarium because I had crayfish and figured they'd be an inexpensive fish to keep and if the crays ate them, who cares. They lasted a year till the aquarium crashed. I think that last filter cleaning was a bit too aggressive and bam, ammonia spikes. Get some cheap ass filter to stick in there so you can keep the nitrate cycle going. And get a cheapy little test strip kit so you can keep track of water condition like nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, etc.

[@FishingwithNat]

Good thoughts. I kept the video pretty simple with the minimum amount of effort to keep minnows for a few weeks, since that's what most anglers will be looking to do. But if you want to keep minnows for longer than a few weeks, filtration, nitrogen cycling, etc. are important for a healthy, long-term setup.

[@panzerwolf494]

@@FishingwithNat I've known a few that wanted to keep their bait alive over the winter before and possibly breed new bait, so thought I'd add

[@FishingwithNat]

@@panzerwolf494 Sure, sounds good. Always appreciate feedback and discussion! Thanks for the comments.

[@matthewwhite466]

Going on a fly in fishing trip in a few weeks. How many dozen minnows could you keep in a tote that size? Just a week long trip. Don't need long term.

[@FishingwithNat]

You could easily keep 6-8 dozen in a tub that size, but you will want to have an air pump keeping it well oxygenated. Changing out 50% of the water a couple of times during the week would also be a good idea. Make sure the water temperature is similar before adding the new water.

[@unionpalace]

I'm confused. You recommend that the minnows should be kept in an opaque container to keep it dark but then you say that a sudden change in light intensity will cause stress. Wouldn't removing the opaque top create a sudden change in light levels? Wouldn't a translucent container keep the light at a more consistent level?

[@FishingwithNat]

The problem with a translucent or open container is that a sudden flick of the light switch in a dark room can be blinding and cause a lot of stress to the minnows. Having rocks or other objects to hide behind is appreciated by the minnows whenever a sudden change in light occurs. A lot of people try to keep minnows indoors in aquariums or other transparent containers, and the frequent on/off of indoor lights throughout the dark hours can really stress out the fish. An opaque container tends to be best because it minimizes the number of changes in light intensity. If you are going to open the lid, I wouldn't recommend doing that in direct sunlight or other situation where a gigantic change in light intensity will occur.

[@bernardyancy8552]

What kind of food do you feed them?

[@FishingwithNat]

I showed specific foods in the video, but mostly frozen bloodworms, shrimp, and tiny food pellets.

[@bernardyancy8552]

@@FishingwithNat lol I did see that once it got towards the end then I felt like a dummy 😜🤣

[@FishingwithNat]

@@bernardyancy8552 Haha no problem

[@krislys7480]

Does this method work for keeping them as a good supply for a pet

[@FishingwithNat]

If you are keeping them as pets, I would set up a normal aquarium with gravel, rocks/plants, and a filtration system. The basic method I showed is sufficient to keep them alive and healthy for a few weeks or months.

[@alexskawinski3586]

Good information, thanks!

[@FishingwithNat]

Thanks!

[@tationut]

what temp should the water be at?

[@FishingwithNat]

Depends on the type of minnows. Fathead minnows are pretty easy and their water can be up to 80 degrees without any problems. Shiners prefer cooler water in the 60s but they usually don't mind the 70s either. Again, keep the other sources of stress to a minimum and it's not as big of a deal.

[@CrimeVid]

I would say chlorine or similar is the main killer, we always kept them in river water,and only expected to keep them a couple of hours. eg catch them, move them,use them. As an aside, I have caught plenty of fish on free-lined freshly dead minnows.

[@FishingwithNat]

Chlorine is a big killer. If you have access to well water or a natural water source, those are great. Freshly dead minnows are very effective too. You can twitch them a bit and make them appear pretty lively.

[@misodinamosa]

How is the oxygen distributed throughout the tank? The bubbles or Oxygen appears to enter in the aquarium and go straight up? I see you are taking the reading at the other side of the tub.

[@FishingwithNat]

The rising bubbles create a circulation that distributes the oxygenated water away and brings in other water that can be oxygenated.

[@ThomasMcKnight-n6g]

good information thank you for posting

[@FishingwithNat]

You're welcome. I appreciate the feedback.

[@redclover8915]

What do you feed your minnows goldfish food

[@FishingwithNat]

They aren't very picky eaters, so goldfish food or frozen shrimp/bloodworms are great.

[@Chad-pq5qy]

You can also add carbon filters to absorb any excess ammonia if you're keeping minnows longer than a week or two.

[@FishingwithNat]

Good tip - thanks for the comment.

[@bluesdawg8014]

You need to treat the water just like a home aquarium, the water must have so many drops per gallon to make the water acceptable for the minnows. You can buy the treatment at your local tropical fish store. Also they need air. Good fishing Los Angeles

[@FishingwithNat]

That works too. This video was mostly meant for people who don't want to set up an aquarium but would instead like a simpler setup to keep minnows for a short time.

[@XplosionNo1]

keep the temperature low as it is very important for oxygen content in water... .. .

[@FishingwithNat]

Lower temps can hold more oxygen, but it will require more energy and effort to cool the water. Room temperature water can hold enough oxygen for most minnows to remain happy as long as you have an aerator or use the bucket method I showed here to add a lot of oxygen to the water. Keep the stress down so their metabolism slows and they'll use less oxygen.

[@XplosionNo1]

@@FishingwithNat adding some salt could help also... it helps to reduce stress... there are scientific studies in freshwater fish behaviour with salt in the tank...

[@FishingwithNat]

@@XplosionNo1 I've heard of this but haven't heard what kind of salts are in those products. Do you know? I assume it's not just simple NaCl table salt.

[@XplosionNo1]

@@FishingwithNat i use table salt so yes, classic NaCl should be fine :) though there are some aquarium special salts... Avoid hymalaian salts and mine salts since they have other minerals.. Sea salt works best for me... i had minnows, bleaks and danube barbel (barbus balcanicus) ... all from nature, caught in rivers of Slovenia... I had a big problem due to lack of oxygen because the tanks are warmer and it is expensive thing to have a cooler for a tank... (they like 60 to 68 F)... also they were all full of parasites and fin rot... i did a permanganate bath and slowly added some salt... they grow fast and are very healthy ! .. :) my little piranhas.... ferocious little fish ! i have 30 of them and the feeding frenzy is absolutely insane !

[@FishingwithNat]

@@XplosionNo1 Awesome. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@samtate1260]

What about water softener does that kill minnows like chlorine does We have a well with a water softener

[@FishingwithNat]

No, the ions from a water softener shouldn't have an impact on the minnows. They are not disinfectants/oxidants like chlorine.

[@samtate1260]

@@FishingwithNat thank you 👍🤘

[@FishingwithNat]

@@samtate1260 No problem. Good luck fishing!

[@reynegroblackking8912]

Man some great info I'm definitely using thanks...

[@FishingwithNat]

Glad it was helpful. Thanks for the feedback.

[@reynegroblackking8912]

You're welcome

[@americanfilipino8847]

What does it mean if my minnows are swimming near the surface and occasionally jump out of the water?

[@FishingwithNat]

Sometimes that means that the oxygen level is low. The only source of oxygen (without an aerator or any plants/algae) is diffusion from the air above, so the highest oxygen level would be right at the surface. That's why the minnows are gulping right at the surface. There are lots of reasons that minnows might jump, but again it could be a desperate attempt to find better conditions.

[@ryanmusil4840]

How often do you change your water?

[@FishingwithNat]

It depends on the number of minnows in the container, but with a couple dozen fathead minnows in about 15 gallons of water, I'll change it every 10 days or so. I aerate the new water and let it sit for a day before doing the water change.

[@orangescalefishy1258]

I like to think of rosy red minnows as pets

[@FishingwithNat]

They actually make pretty good pets. We've kept several species of fish in aquariums that came from the bait store. It's a lot cheaper than the pet store!

[@Everything-dr1wb]

Thank you for sharing this video 😊

[@FishingwithNat]

Glad you enjoyed it!