Rosey Minnow Q's??

[West1]

I buy Minnows from Petco and Pet Smart to avoid the bif spines of goldfish to use as feeders.
My Q is why do their body start to change color (white spots) as they start to die??

I keep them in a 20gl with 2 penguin bio-wheels (20 and a 30) and keep up with the tank like if it was a show tank (trying to keep good quality feeders for my other fish). I basically use it as a quatantine tank untill its dinner time.

So why do they die little by little (I do the drip mwthod as new feeeders come in... everything like if it was a fish I plan to keep)?

 

[Danyal]

do you keep the water cold? it could easily be a disease from the feeder tanks, the white spots i see a lot in ours is columnaris.

 

[SumoNinja]

good questions, I wanna know too. From every batch I buy from petsmart/petco a few will die and maybe one a day for the next 2-3 days. I always thought it was just them doing a bad job of keeping feeders...........

I stopped buying from them, have an lfs that I get from and they always give more than that they're supposed to. I'll ask for 12/$1 and they'll throw in like 13-15 feeders. They just eyeball,............. and I'll buy their 25 meal worms for $1 and they'll give me like up to 50,...........

 

[Danyal]

thats how i do it at work(deathco) i'll give you at least as many as you asked for but usually end up putting in several extras.

I always thought it was just them doing a bad job of keeping feeders

every place is going to have less than pristine feeders, but deathco, wallyworld and petstupid seem to do the worst

 

[West1]

do you keep the water cold? it could easily be a disease from the feeder tanks, the white spots i see a lot in ours is columnaris.

The water is at a stable 76*
I dont have a heater in the feeder tank, did not think I needed one (since my water is almost at 80* all day)

I'm not sure, but I thought it could of been that I add salt to the tank every new batch I get. I do keep up with the water changes and the Prime stuff (My daughter has a Baby Bichir in the tank, so we keep up with the water...)
once a week.

So if it is the Temp of the tank, what do I need to keep it at???
If it is the Salt, how much do I need to do? I usually get 4-5 DZ minnows every other week.

Thanks

 

[Animallove]

Rosy reds are kept in horrible conditions, so many come very unhealthy and sick. The tempeture is fine, 76-75 is probally the best temperature for them. If possible try getting your feeders from somebody who already has some definetly healthy ones, after you get a couple they will breed for you quite easily. Goodluck!

 

[West1]

Rosy reds are kept in horrible conditions, so many come very unhealthy and sick. The tempeture is fine, 76-75 is probally the best temperature for them. If possible try getting your feeders from somebody who already has some definetly healthy ones, after you get a couple they will breed for you quite easily. Goodluck!

What would you say it takes a new born Minnow to get to adult size??

I dont think I have enough time to let go by as my 3 Tats/Gar and ray get hungry
I'm just trying to understand if its me messing up the feeders or are they already with the white spots in the LFs?

 

[id10t]

Sounds like you oughta just set up a tank to breed convicts in or soemthing to use for feeders instead of dealing wtih the nasties

 

[West1]

Sounds like you oughta just set up a tank to breed convicts in or soemthing to use for feeders instead of dealing wtih the nasties

I thought of cons, but I hear a lot of bad responses from them cause of their rough scales. So I passed on the Cons and stuck with Minnows

 

[rjmtx]

I've never heard of rough scales being a problem. Maybe fin spines? I still don't see any probs using convicts as feeders. Get a tub of Sailfin Mollies, they make babies like it's going out of style, too. The remedy to your situation, as is the case with many things in life, is to just grow your own.