11 replies to this topic

[Jett]

I'm going to be setting up a 125 gallon for my green sunfish tomorrow and I'm thinking about adding dither minnows...

I realize they will all get eaten at some point. Question is, if the sunfish are pellet trained, would adding minnows turn them off pellets?

I'm also going to have a quarantine tank set up for the minnows because the ones at the gas station usually have cotton wool, which is easy for me to treat with minnow prognosis being fairly good.

Big box stores also have minnows, but most usually have more issues that the gas station minnows.


Would it be a good idea to add minnows? How many at a time? Any other dither fish that would be better than minnows?

Tank stocking with just the sunfish is 4 adult greens. I'm doing a sand bottom with driftwood and a ton of various vals.


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[Fleendar the Magnificent]

In my experience, pellet, flake and frozen food trained sunnies and other similar fish will not hesitate to add some fresh meat to their diet when presented. It might slow them down a bit, but as I find with my Northern Longear and the green sunny I have, typically I have 1-2 less feeder fry than I did the day before, and that's feeding them red worms and frozen foods.

If they're hungry and it fits, they'll eat it.

 

Chris M.

[Jett]

In my experience, pellet, flake and frozen food trained sunnies and other similar fish will not hesitate to add some fresh meat to their diet when presented. It might slow them down a bit, but as I find with my Northern Longear and the green sunny I have, typically I have 1-2 less feeder fry than I did the day before, and that's feeding them red worms and frozen foods.
If they're hungry and it fits, they'll eat it.
 
Chris M.

Awesome! I really want to expand their diet. I think they're getting sick of prepared foods.

Also, what feeders do you use? I know goldfish are bad. I was planning on bait shop minnows because they're usually oddly healthy. (Minus the cotton wool)... There's bluntnose in the summer and then they have emerald shiners in the winter.

Also golden shiners and white suckers. Which I think would be a little too big for feeders.... Might possibly eat the goldens.

Edited by Jett, 28 July 2019 - 03:44 PM.

[JasonL]

I think you could readily add a dozen or so minnows caught locally to a tank that size. I would get ones that are common to your area and easily replaceable because they will need to be replaced periodically with greens lurking. Personally I would avoid bait shops or pet store feeders unless you have no other choice. Visiting a local creek with a dipnet would ultimately be cost effective in my opinion.

There are a few minnow species that get big enough to hold their own with greens if you can grow them out. Creek chubs and Luxilus species comme to mind. Also golden shiners. White suckers would do ok with your sand substrate and get big enough too but you have to over feed to get them to thrive.

Lots of options here for you. Trial and error is part of the game. Good luck.

[Jett]

I honestly have no idea where to catch minnows other than sticklebacks and mud minnows. There's a ton of brook sticklebacks. But I catch very few mud minnows... And I usually keep them because I'm a huge fan of them.

Maybe I can make a post on here and see if anyone knows good collection sites for other minnows.

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[Fleendar the Magnificent]

I typically go to the river near my house and net in the shallows along the shoreline and catch shiner and bluntnose fry. Once in awhile I have to go to the LFS and buy feeder guppies or rosy red feeders, but not too often. I use a 6' long modified minnow dip net with 1/8" netting holes and do well with it.

 

Chris.

[Matt DeLaVega]

I also encourage wild caught feeders. Less disease and more nutritious I believe. I rarely suggest minnow traps as a collection method, but for feeders, heck yeah.  Tie a rope to it. Bait it with dog food and drop it into the deep hole that is under most bridges over smaller streams. It should be quite enjoyable in and of itself. Good luck.

[Jett]

Alright. I'll figure out what I have to do to keep it legal. I'd be putting it under one of the bridges I live near. It's all public access, so I'd want to hang around it while it's in the water. It's a lake Michigan tributary.

There's also a slow moving creek that widens into a river sized area that's pretty deep. It empties into the bay.

Also a shipping canal.

All these are public access though. I'm paranoid a trap is going to disappear if I leave it.

Edited by Jett, 28 July 2019 - 06:54 PM.

[JasonL]

I think you may be surprised what you can find sampling watersheds near your home. Google maps may help you find areas that can be overlooked as well.

[Jett]

I think you may be surprised what you can find sampling watersheds near your home. Google maps may help you find areas that can be overlooked as well.

I can't promise they won't become a pet instead of a feeder XD

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[JasonL]

I can't promise they won't become a pet instead of a feeder XD

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Ha ha. Welcome to the club.

[Matt DeLaVega]

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