Minnows

[Aundrea]

I am wondering where everyone keeps their minnows in? What size tank and do i have to buy a pump and filter for them? Im thinking of buying 20 Minnows.

[Garter_Gertie]

I think you'd be better served keeping guppies. Minnows have that thaiminze or whatever going and guppies don't. Thaiminze prohibits the uptake of thaimin, an important vitamin.

And you could keep a bazillion guppies in a 5.5 gal tank! Heck! I kept 4-6 in a 3X5" take-your-leftovers-to-work thingy for six weeks! All I did was top off the water with water I'd let sit so the chlorine evaporated.

[infernalis]

MK that statement is species specific.

Rosie reds, Catfish, Carp, Goldfish and fatheads are all big NO NO's.

However that leaves hundreds of other minnow species to feed without a problem.

Yes Guppies are sure fire safe, but please don't condemn all minnow species as food.

I keep a 10 gallon tank, a small air stone and filter, Right now it is stocked with Blacknose Dace minnows

In the end, a 10 is cheaper, I can find 10 gallon tanks for under 11 dollars. They have all you need at wal mart.

[Garter_Gertie]

But, Dekay, you haul yours outta your 'crik.' Please don't lead someone to think Blacknose Dace, memembers of the minnow family, are common, easily found fish in pet stores.

The only minnows I know available to the hobbiest - *unless* they live near a bait store and know specifics about minnows and know what they're doing - are rosy reds at Petco, PetSmart, et al.

You with your Dace [minnows] are more the exception than the rule because you are so dang lucky and that wonderful wonderful world of your outside your back door.

But the *only* place I've yet even found feeder guppies is at Twin Cities Reptiles. I gotta laugh! Before I found them at TCR, I asked the Fish Department Dufus-Bobo-Head at Petco if they had feeder guppies and the FDDBH said, "I've never heard of them. What are they?" I bet he would have answered, "I don't know," to "Who's buried in Grant's tomb?"

But if one did buy xpensive guppies and they breed like, well... Like guppies! The cost should be minimal.

Maybe one can only get feeder guppies at reptile kind'a places???????????

[jitami]

I think only really really lucky people can even find them at reptile kind'a places

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, though. Aundrea's were probably rosy reds from Petco/Petsmart/etc and just fine for getting a reluctant eater going, but should be moved away from as soon as possible. I still give them to my guys every once in a while and Sly did live for quite a while... maybe even a year(?) on only rosy reds before I knew any better and switched him to pinkies.

[Aundrea]

Rosy red minnows are not good for the garters??????

[Garter_Gertie]

I do consider myself very lucky finding those guppies. I didn't want to take the chance - though as you point out it prolly would have been okay for awhile - on the rosie reds.

[Garter_Gertie]

Aundra, ONLY if that's what they eat - and eat nothing else - for quite some time. As Shannon says, the best diet is a varied diet.

[GartersRock]

But, Dekay, you haul yours outta your 'crik.' Please don't lead someone to think Blacknose Dace, memembers of the minnow family, are common, easily found fish in pet stores.

The only minnows I know available to the hobbiest - *unless* they live near a bait store and know specifics about minnows and know what they're doing - are rosy reds at Petco, PetSmart, et al.

You with your Dace [minnows] are more the exception than the rule because you are so dang lucky and that wonderful wonderful world of your outside your back door.

But the *only* place I've yet even found feeder guppies is at Twin Cities Reptiles. I gotta laugh! Before I found them at TCR, I asked the Fish Department Dufus-Bobo-Head at Petco if they had feeder guppies and the FDDBH said, "I've never heard of them. What are they?" I bet he would have answered, "I don't know," to "Who's buried in Grant's tomb?"

But if one did buy xpensive guppies and they breed like, well... Like guppies! The cost should be minimal.

Maybe one can only get feeder guppies at reptile kind'a places???????????

But it does help to know the species Wayne is using cause I get my minnows out of the super amazing San Marcos river.

[jitami]

Aundrea, from what I understand they're not as bad as goldfish, but do contain thiaminase which should be avoided. Like I said, I do use them sparingly and wouldn't hesitate to use them for a non-feeder, but probably not worth setting up a tank for. Now Wayne's awesome minnows from his creek or guppies as Gertie said would be awesome and I'd love to have a feeder tank full for my guys!