Keeping and transporting minnows

[xraycer]

Why is this? It was close to 90 when I caught them, the water was pretty cool and flowing enough to pull my trap down stream. Its suppose to be cooler in the next few days, mid 50's/ low 70's. They were going to be bait, but looked cool so I wanted to keep them. Everything I brought home has died so I'll get a few pics next time.

I believe with warmer temps, water losses O2 at a quicker rate and fish metabolism/breathing increases. Thus compounding the issue.

Is the tank, the minnows are going into, been treated for chlorine/chloramine and fully cycled?

 

[james99]

I believe with warmer temps, water losses O2 at a quicker rate and fish metabolism/breathing increases. Thus compounding the issue.

Is the tank, the minnows are going into, been treated for chlorine/chloramine and fully cycled?

Yea its a fully cycled, running 55 that's got a few miscellaneous fish that keeps it going. Normally its used to isolate beat up or aggressive cichlids.

 

[Nathan P]

Xraycer is correct. Warm water = low dissolved oxygen, and warm fish = high metabolic oxygen demand and increased rate of ammonia excretion. Add the stress of being captured, tossed in a bucket with other fish emitting schreckstoff (fear pheremones) and transported, and it's pretty rough on the little guys. Cool water (both the water you are collecting from, and the water in your bucket) with plenty of oxygen helps alleviate this, as does water conditioner, which helps make up for lost electrolytes.

 

[Texas321]

Imo they should float for longer then 15 minutes. What I do and never had one die this way is put them in a bucket with original water and a air stone. Then slowly add in tank water over the course of a couple of hours.

 

[krichardson]

Lots of great advice already given.When I was using wild minnows as feeders I kept the holding/transport bucket out of the sunlight and battery operated bubbler in the water.In my experience oxygen or the lack of is the biggest issue when bringing them home.Most minnows come from cool,well oxygenated waters so they don't do well very long sitting in the non moving water of a bucket while being transported.