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what is the best way to keep minnows in a tank cold so they will breed
#1
I have a tank i want to put my fathead minnows in but i have no way to keep the constantly cold enough to breed i have done a lot of research and i found i need to keep the at 18 degrees f but i cant keep them cold unless they are in the fridge. the only thing i have come up with is ice but id have to put ice in there every 10 seconds and since i work all day i cant do that. anyone know of a tank i can use or anyway to keep them cold without puttin them in the fridge?
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#2
You need an Aquarium chiller. You can get them at some pet stores but most of the time they have to be ordered (not a popular item). I did a search on ebay and they had 23 of them listed anywhere from $50 - $700 dollars depending on how much you love your minnows. [Wink]

Here is a link to view some of the different models.

[url "http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage.aspx?PageAlias=chillers__index"]http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage.aspx?PageAlias=chillers__index[/url]

Good Luck
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#3
18ºF? are you sure? that would mean they are "swimming" in ice.
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#4
If the water is constantly circulating, that would probably prevent the water from freezing over. But, i'm not sure
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#5
Only extremely salty water will require a colder freezing temp. Otherwise 32 is frozen. 18 is hard water.[cool]
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#6
Sounds like my man needs to call "Mr. Wizard." Minnows can't breed in a block of ice, so how can 18 degree water be neccesary to trigger breeding?
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#7
I'll bet he ment 18 Celcius...But that seems pretty warm to need an extra cooler....
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#8
I found this info with a quick google search. It looks like it would be 10 to 24 degrees celsius (50 to 75 F).

Common names: rosy red minnow, fathead minnow, rosy reds, rosey reds, rosies, tuffy, tuffies, blackhead minnow, tuffy minnow, rosy red feeders, ruby red feeders, red top minnows
Scientific/Latin name: Pimephales promelas
Maximum length: Males 2-3 inches, females 1-2 inches
Colors: Fatheads - natural brown with black, rosy reds - light orange, or any combination thereof (spotted, splotched, etc.)
Breeding male attributes: Fatheads - black vertical stripes, fleshy head growths, and tubercules; rosy reds - fleshy head growths and tubercules
Breeding female attributes: Ovipositors, fatter and shorter bodies
Temperature preference: 50 to 75 degrees F, can survive 33 to 100 degrees F
pH preference: 7 to 8
Hardness preference: Moderate
Salinity preference: 1 Tablespoon per 10-30 gallons
Compatibility: Males may harass same species or other species when near the nest and will attack rival males without injury; otherwise, very peaceful
Life span: 1 to 3 years (average 1.5 to 2 years)
Ease of keeping: Easy
Ease of breeding: Easy if place to spawn is provided
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#9
Hey bigfishhunter22,

Check out this web site [url "http://www.fishpondinfo.com/rosies.htm"]http://www.fishpondinfo.com/rosies.htm[/url]

Just do not tell her you are using the minnows for bait...silly girl thinks they are pets!
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#10
I kept my pond cool enough to keep trout alive all summer with no extra energy except the circulation pump. My pond empties down into an underground sub-tank. From the tank, it increases volume, the water flows thru four car radiators plumbed inline and buried about six feet underground, below the pond and waterfall. After the water exits the radiators it is still under pressure and flows out at the top of a five foot high water fall/stream. The little stream is a series of pools and running water. Each pool has smaller diameter rocks and pebbles and finally gravel and acts as the filter. It is full of Crawdads. All this takes up maybe 12 by 9 feet . The water is always clear and while not odorless none of my neighbors have ever complained. The water temp stays a steady 66 degrees all year.
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#11
Dude, that's slick as hell. Thanks for sharing. [cool]
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