Author Topic: Keeping minnows alive  (Read 1304 times)

Offline NYHunter10

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Keeping minnows alive
« on: Jan 26, 2022, 05:54 PM »
Anyone have any tips for keeping minnows alive for 3-4 days? I’m only able to get minnows tomorrow but fishing Monday morning. I have a medium size insulated bucket and an aireator

Offline WARRIOR_ON_ICE

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #1 on: Jan 26, 2022, 06:04 PM »
I have never used an aerator and have kept minnows alive for as long as 2 weeks in a 1.3 gallon bait bucket. With or without an aerator, here is what you need to do.

1.) Don't put too many minnows in the bucket. 2 dozen medium shiners or 1 dozen large anything should be the limit for the Frabill 1.3 gallon bucket.
2.) Don't store the bucket indoors, must be kept between freezing and 50 F to keep the bait alive.
3.) Drain the water every day ( can usually wait for 2 days if you forget a day ) and replace with cold tap water. Make sure the water is coming out of the faucet as cold as it can get before you put any in the bucket.
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Offline Salty Ice Queen

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #2 on: Jan 26, 2022, 06:19 PM »
Consider using a large cooler,..with an air bubbler...keep water changed daily ,..with no city water unless the water has been treated...and keep the water nice and cold...ice cubes,..snow,..ect..

Offline Subway4X4

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #3 on: Jan 26, 2022, 06:35 PM »
If you sit your changeover tap water for at least 24 hours, the chlorine level should drop to safe levels.

I run a cheap aquarium with a aquarium filter and do a 30% water change weekly.  No problems keeping fish alive.

The aquarium is in my basement.  The coldest part of my house.
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Offline NYHunter10

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #4 on: Jan 26, 2022, 06:46 PM »
Thanks for all the tips. My house has city water, I may have to grab new water from a local pond/stream and keep them in a cooler

Offline TheManInBlack

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #5 on: Jan 26, 2022, 06:58 PM »
Even city water should be OK if you let it sit out a while.

What I typically do is get the coldest tap water, like the other guys said, and put an aerator in it for 12 hours.  And I sit it right next to my other bucket for at least 12 hours before transferring the minnows, so the water between the two is the same temperature.  I started doing this because I found that I was losing some minnows, presumably to shock, if I transferred them between two buckets that weren't the same temperature.

Also make sure to check the bucket regularly and scoop out any dead ones ASAP.

Offline river_scum

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #6 on: Jan 26, 2022, 07:18 PM »
i can set my minnow bucket in my sump pump.  i adjust the float to keep more water in it. basement unheated and 45-50 all year.

like he said city water should set over night, then should be good.  always test on a few though just in case.
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Offline Old Goat

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #7 on: Jan 26, 2022, 07:20 PM »
put them in fridge

Offline river_scum

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #8 on: Jan 26, 2022, 07:27 PM »
i literally just caught hell for my baggie of spikes being on the old wife's cheese, in the fridge.  ::)
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Offline sebago2jigtima

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #9 on: Jan 26, 2022, 07:29 PM »
yummm  :o

Offline fishnnut

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #10 on: Jan 26, 2022, 07:32 PM »
If you live where u have snow and ice piled in your yard just throw in a nice big chunk every day or other day and that helps a lot also.. no chlorine and keeps them cold..

Offline njsquatch

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #11 on: Jan 27, 2022, 07:20 AM »
Thanks for all the tips. My house has city water, I may have to grab new water from a local pond/stream and keep them in a cooler

I have city water too and use the aquarium treatment drops that neutralize the chlorine. Haven't had and trouble keeping them in a 5 gallon bucket that runs a small aquarium filter and aerator in the cold basement. Change half the water once a week. Have had them last over a month

https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-AquaSafe-Fish-Water-Conditioner/dp/B00068JW0A/

https://www.chewy.com/tetra-whisper-internal-aquarium-power/dp/133161

Offline Neil McCauley

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #12 on: Jan 27, 2022, 08:11 AM »
Use a clean 5 gal bucket and fill with spring water and keep them 34-35*F, in a fridge if possible. The water may cost about what the minnows did but it's worth it. Bigger the minnows the more likely you are to need aeration. Whatever you do, don't feed them !

Offline river_scum

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #13 on: Jan 29, 2022, 05:42 AM »
lol i dont blame ya.  typos are fun.
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Offline fish/hunt4ever

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #14 on: Jan 29, 2022, 07:14 AM »
Keeping minnows alive can be a trick but a filtration system is a good thing if you are keeping them for a long period of time and can eliminate some of the water change outs and like I see some have stated keep the water cooler and do not feed them, if you think they need something remember when the water is cold they do not eat much and the more food the more ammonia is released into the water so more water change outs.

Offline esox_xtm

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #15 on: Jan 29, 2022, 07:25 AM »
i literally just caught hell for my baggie of spikes being on the old wife's cheese, in the fridge.  ::)

I used to hold a pound of leeches in a gallon jar in the upstairs fridge during the summer. I always thought they were graceful swimmers. Others, well, not so much...  >:D >:D >:D :roflmao:
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