We are catching minnows and shiners to put in a native tank. we have them in a cooler with a air pump and change the water in the cooler everyday and they die after 2 days.
what are we doing???
I am thinking about getting ammo lock or something to put in the cooler...
fish in cooler dying quickly w/ waterchanges
Started by
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, Jul 13 2008 05:44 PM
22 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_fundulus_*
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Posted 13 July 2008 - 05:46 PM
It's tough to collect fish and keep them alive this time of year because of heat stress. AmmoLock or some such will help, but probably you'll still have fatalities.
#3
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Posted 13 July 2008 - 05:51 PM
It's tough to collect fish and keep them alive this time of year because of heat stress. AmmoLock or some such will help, but probably you'll still have fatalities.
believe it or not, the water in the cooler gets colder than the water in the river....
#4
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Posted 13 July 2008 - 06:03 PM
If you've got an airpump why not stick the stone in a bag of carbon or onto a well used sponge filter. Probably too late now but that is a common trick. This time of year with the stress and heat it really doesn't matter your mortality will be high.
#5
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Posted 13 July 2008 - 07:36 PM
If you've got an airpump why not stick the stone in a bag of carbon or onto a well used sponge filter. Probably too late now but that is a common trick. This time of year with the stress and heat it really doesn't matter your mortality will be high.
thank you, I am 1000 miles from all 9 of my fish tanks. im in WV above Dam 5....
k, I went out today and bought stockings (for the carbon), activated carbon, ammonia clear tablets, water conditioner and aquarium salt.
what should I use and how much of each?? please help??
we have a 55 in at home in FL that is cycling waiting for spotfins, other schooling minnows, and some smaller sunfish.
#7
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 13 July 2008 - 09:30 PM
I think you've gotten all the help there is...
...cycled substrate will help
...handful of carbon in a stocking or bag with you air stone
...cool air
...ammolock/stress coat/etc.
...some folks also add salt to the water to reduce stress (lots of threads on that)
...and that's really about all you can do once you have them.
...cycled substrate will help
...handful of carbon in a stocking or bag with you air stone
...cool air
...ammolock/stress coat/etc.
...some folks also add salt to the water to reduce stress (lots of threads on that)
...and that's really about all you can do once you have them.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#8
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
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Posted 13 July 2008 - 09:44 PM
How many minnows in what size cooler? My guess is, "too many" !
#9
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Posted 13 July 2008 - 09:53 PM
How many minnows in what size cooler? My guess is, "too many" !
Yes, I know its too many but the reason why is we are trying to collect and keep alive to go back to FL in about 8 days. We are only catching one or two day so we are starting early. The cooler is about 5 or 6 gallons. We only had about 4 fish in there. We changed the water about 8-10 hours before they started dying.
#10
Guest_schambers_*
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Posted 13 July 2008 - 10:31 PM
what should I use and how much of each?? please help??
As far as how much to use, pretend your cooler is an aquarium and figure out how many gallons are in it, then follow the package instructions. Usually aquarium salt is dosed at 1 tbsp per 5 gallons.
#11
Guest_nativeplanter_*
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Posted 14 July 2008 - 10:16 AM
You aren't feeding them, are you? Do not feed while they are in the cooler.
#12
Guest_keepnatives_*
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Posted 14 July 2008 - 05:43 PM
Where is the replacement water coming from? How big are the fish? A big spotfin in a little cooler could be a problem they could be smacking the sides frequently when startled. What shape are they in when you get them, if injured in the netting process you're heading for trouble right away. A used sponge filter really helps. Just do partial water changes.We are catching minnows and shiners to put in a native tank. we have them in a cooler with a air pump and change the water in the cooler everyday and they die after 2 days.
what are we doing???
I am thinking about getting ammo lock or something to put in the cooler...
#13
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
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Posted 14 July 2008 - 10:55 PM
This is not a lot, so my theory goes out the window. I would pass on the water changes. I wish Jim Graham would chime in here.Yes, I know its too many but the reason why is we are trying to collect and keep alive to go back to FL in about 8 days. We are only catching one or two day so we are starting early. The cooler is about 5 or 6 gallons. We only had about 4 fish in there. We changed the water about 8-10 hours before they started dying.
#14
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Posted 15 July 2008 - 01:36 AM
Is that the Bluestone Dam? If so you're less than a mile away from methank you, I am 1000 miles from all 9 of my fish tanks. im in WV above Dam 5....
I live below the dam between the two rivers.I'm a novice and I shouldn't offer any advice. I can tell you that the people posting know what their talking about.
What types of fish did you collect? How long did they survive?
#15
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Posted 15 July 2008 - 07:19 AM
This is not a lot, so my theory goes out the window. I would pass on the water changes. I wish Jim Graham would chime in here.
Well, I'm not Jim, but I always thought water changes were stressful on fish, at least it seems that way in my tank; small infrequent changes work best.
Best of Luck!
#16
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Posted 15 July 2008 - 09:13 AM
Big water chemistry changes are hard for fish to adjust to. If the water chemistry of the new water is very different from the old water, a large water change is going to cause stress and possibly mortality.
#17
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Posted 15 July 2008 - 09:37 AM
If you're getting a nitrate buildup (only testing will tell you), salt *will* help to an extent. It helps neutralize the toxicity of nitrite for sure. (Walstad's Ecology o the Planted Aquarium is my source on that.)
There are also ammonia/nitrate reducers that are readily available in Wal-Mart (if they have an aquarium section) or pet stores as well. I really like SeaChem's Prime for this, but a bunch of folks swaer by AmQuel.
Now, mind you - all my experience on this is for standard aquariums, not a cooler in the middle of the woods, but the basic chemistry remains the same. MWolfe's checklist above me is as good a list as you'll ever see. Just avoid temperature extremes, and for long trips, I'd test the water with some dip strips to make sure things stay stable. With more info, you can be better armed to handle problems.
There are also ammonia/nitrate reducers that are readily available in Wal-Mart (if they have an aquarium section) or pet stores as well. I really like SeaChem's Prime for this, but a bunch of folks swaer by AmQuel.
Now, mind you - all my experience on this is for standard aquariums, not a cooler in the middle of the woods, but the basic chemistry remains the same. MWolfe's checklist above me is as good a list as you'll ever see. Just avoid temperature extremes, and for long trips, I'd test the water with some dip strips to make sure things stay stable. With more info, you can be better armed to handle problems.
#18
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Posted 15 July 2008 - 02:39 PM
Where is your new water coming from? One of the biggest stressors on fish is pH. Remember it is a logrithmic scale so .1 change is 10 times difference. Even if the two water samples were the same when you started, once you add fish there will be a difference due to their respiration and/or any waste that they may produce. Salt will help mitigate this rapid swing.
Clark
Clark
#19
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Posted 15 July 2008 - 05:34 PM
Where is your new water coming from? One of the biggest stressors on fish is pH. Remember it is a logrithmic scale so .1 change is 10 times difference. Even if the two water samples were the same when you started, once you add fish there will be a difference due to their respiration and/or any waste that they may produce. Salt will help mitigate this rapid swing.
Clark
I thought hardness was a bigger factor than pH. I had to remove the Texas Holey Rock I was given from my tank for that reason. All I know about pH and hardness is that slow gradual changes are better than fast ones, a fast change will start at roller-coaster ride the fish can't stomach.
#20
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Posted 15 July 2008 - 08:19 PM
Is that the Bluestone Dam? If so you're less than a mile away from me
I'm a novice and I shouldn't offer any advice. I can tell you that the people posting know what their talking about.
What types of fish did you collect? How long did they survive?
He is on the Potomac River, not the Elk, where Bluestone Dam is. Sadly, didymo (a very bad, invasive alga) was recently found below Bluestone Dam a few weeks ago.
As far as fish go. The water temp and air temp certainly aren't helping. I was below Dam 5 today and I belelieve we recoreded consistent temperatures of 28 C. We had quite a few species of minnows have high mortality today while in a large livewell system that has several airstones and gets regular (every 30 min) near complete water changes. The larger things, like redhorse, sunfish, bass, catfish were fine. It's hot, plain and simple, and fish are stressed. The cooler is farily small, the constant water changes are probably freaking them out, and the temperature spikes that are possibly probably aren't good either. As long as you can find some slackwater around aquatic plans or wood you should be able to catch all the spotfins and satinfin shiners you want in a few attempts. I say them everywhere the past two days. There were alot right off the boat ramp in Williamsport MD. There is a portage below Dam 5 off the canal, you should give that a try too. Alot of plants on the bank where the minnows are heavy.
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