Raising Minnows From Creek?

[Moonlit]

I'm tempted to use my spare 5 gallon to try raising these minnows from one of the local creeks. The minnows at this one location don't appear to be the usual chubs, shiners and bullhead minnows. Instead these guys have an upturned mouth which made me think they are mosquito fish. Since I moved I don't have access to buying Endlers anymore, but I thought these apparent livebearers might be fun to raise since they shouldn't get too big. Just start with a few to see what they end up growing into as these guys are young. Anyone ever raised wild minnows? I'm wondering for sure what these livebearers could even be coming out of creek in East TN? They aren't listed in the fishing regulations guidebook as even being a native minnow so I don't think there are any laws against taking them. You can possess up to 100 minnows for bait at a time so I should be well within the law if I took 3-4. I caught some in a cup near the boat ramp, so I feel sure I could catch some again and this time have container I can transport them in.

 

[mike455555]

if your worried about the law well... its 4 minnows... they wont go amiss just dont get caught?

 

[soybean]

Is 5 gallons really big enough for them? How long do they get? Are they naturally fast and nippy swimmers?

If you think you can care for them well enough, give it a go. Not sure what you'll do with them in the long run though, other than put them back? Don't think it's fair to house them in a 5 gallon long term if they're used to a creek, really.

 

[Moonlit]

Is 5 gallons really big enough for them? How long do they get? Are they naturally fast and nippy swimmers?

If you think you can care for them well enough, give it a go. Not sure what you'll do with them in the long run though, other than put them back? Don't think it's fair to house them in a 5 gallon long term if they're used to a creek, really.

It's no different than all the tropical & salt water fish that are taken from the wild. They were used to a river/lake/ocean before being captured, but we keep them in tanks. These minnows seem to not travel that far and stay in the shallow water in only one location in the creek. I suspect in the wild fish are like that and have their own territories and only the really big fish travel far. But then again the big ones seem to stay in one spot sometimes. I don't know if you are familiar with a Muskie, but there is an enormous one in the creek who stays in the same spot feeding for 3 months now. You can't put them back once you take minnows or any fish from the water. Its illegal and considered stocking of fish.

If these are mosquito fish they are just like guppies except they do not have bright colors. If you aren't familiar with mosquito fish they actually originated out of Germany and were introduced throughout the US into bodies of water as a way to reduce mosquito population as they eat the larvae.

 

[Moonlit]

if your worried about the law well... its 4 minnows... they wont go amiss just dont get caught?

I have a sportsmans license in the state which covers both hunting and fishing. Up to 100 minnows can be taken however I'm researching if this minnow is covered under baitfish or non-game fish rules. It can't be protected minnow I don't think since it is non-native species. I think only darters are protected. If its considered non-game then any number can be taken...similar to say how drum fish are considered non-game and the state could care less what you do with them. That's just an example as I have nothing against the freshwater drums, they are awesome looking fish.

 

[creeker]

I have kept Gambusia Affinis (Mosquito fish) on several occasions. I scooped up a bunch from a creek once and kept them in a small tank. I used them as feeder fish for some Volitan Lionfish and Dwarf lionfish. These Mosquito fish are next to indestructible. They also breed like crazy. I tossed a couple dozen or so into my dogs wading pool because there were mosquito larvae in it. A few months later there seemed like a thousand fish in there. They can live in fresh or salt water, tolerate temperatures from ice over to over 100F, and survive in the nastiest water you could imagine. The females get just a little bigger than female fancy guppies. They are nippy with other species, so do not put them into a community tank. The county here gives them away free for mosquito abatement, or you can scoop them out of any permanent body of water. They are a non-game fish here, so you can collect as many as you want. They adapt to flake food instantly.

 

[Moonlit]

Here's a map of the US showing just how widespread the Mosquito fish has become. Whether you want to keep any as pets or not would make interesting research to see if you can find them in your local waters. A simple minnow trap can be made with drink bottle, piece of string or fishing line and piece of bread.

http/nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=846

 

[soybean]

Is 5 gallons really big enough for them? How long do they get? Are they naturally fast and nippy swimmers?

If you think you can care for them well enough, give it a go. Not sure what you'll do with them in the long run though, other than put them back? Don't think it's fair to house them in a 5 gallon long term if they're used to a creek, really.

It's no different than all the tropical & salt water fish that are taken from the wild. They were used to a river/lake/ocean before being captured, but we keep them in tanks. These minnows seem to not travel that far and stay in the shallow water in only one location in the creek. I suspect in the wild fish are like that and have their own territories and only the really big fish travel far. But then again the big ones seem to stay in one spot sometimes. I don't know if you are familiar with a Muskie, but there is an enormous one in the creek who stays in the same spot feeding for 3 months now. You can't put them back once you take minnows or any fish from the water. Its illegal and considered stocking of fish.

If these are mosquito fish they are just like guppies except they do not have bright colors. If you aren't familiar with mosquito fish they actually originated out of Germany and were introduced throughout the US into bodies of water as a way to reduce mosquito population as they eat the larvae.

That isn't what I was saying. 5 gallons is tiny and I wouldn't keep fast swimmers in one - I wasn't commenting on the ethics and legalities of keeping wild fish, simply whether or not you could create a suitable habitat. No we can never build a creek in the living room but you can increase tank currents, etc.

 

[Moonlit]

Is 5 gallons really big enough for them? How long do they get? Are they naturally fast and nippy swimmers?

If you think you can care for them well enough, give it a go. Not sure what you'll do with them in the long run though, other than put them back? Don't think it's fair to house them in a 5 gallon long term if they're used to a creek, really.

It's no different than all the tropical & salt water fish that are taken from the wild. They were used to a river/lake/ocean before being captured, but we keep them in tanks. These minnows seem to not travel that far and stay in the shallow water in only one location in the creek. I suspect in the wild fish are like that and have their own territories and only the really big fish travel far. But then again the big ones seem to stay in one spot sometimes. I don't know if you are familiar with a Muskie, but there is an enormous one in the creek who stays in the same spot feeding for 3 months now. You can't put them back once you take minnows or any fish from the water. Its illegal and considered stocking of fish.

If these are mosquito fish they are just like guppies except they do not have bright colors. If you aren't familiar with mosquito fish they actually originated out of Germany and were introduced throughout the US into bodies of water as a way to reduce mosquito population as they eat the larvae.

That isn't what I was saying. 5 gallons is tiny and I wouldn't keep fast swimmers in one - I wasn't commenting on the ethics and legalities of keeping wild fish, simply whether or not you could create a suitable habitat. No we can never build a creek in the living room but you can increase tank currents, etc.

I'm not so sure they really like currents. When I've seen them they are always retreating to the very edge of the bank in inlets where the water is calm and protected by lots of sticks and leaves in the water. Just a little further out the shiner and shad are jumping around and I would suspect they eat the mosquito fish as do the bluegills, green and redear sunfish that are also in creek. So it seems the poor little mosquito fish spend most of their life retreating from the very strong current in those waters and also hiding from all the much bigger fish. Also they would want to stay shallow and in the inlet pools because that is where mosquitoes will lay their eggs in calmer waters.

 

[Moonlit]

PS: I see what you are saying, but I don't think they are fast swimmers if I can catch them with my hand. To me the fish really stand out as being very much non-native to the waters just as they truly are. They are very awkward and don't seem to fit among the much bigger fish. Even the native minnows are 100 times bigger than them. They actually seem rather sad. BTW- the 5 gallon is only temporary and can get a bigger tank. They are tiny fish though not even 1 inch long.

 

[Mowbz]

If you think you can care for them well enough, give it a go. Not sure what you'll do with them in the long run though, other than put them back?

...which would be a terrible idea surely!

Releasing anything that has been in a home aquarium has the potential to release diseases into an ecosystem that it hasnt had to deal with, and therefore might not have immunity from.

As harsh as it sounds, it would be better to knock them on the head than risk destroying an ecosystem with a disease that shouldnt have made it there. But of course, the best option, is to heavily research it and provde a suitable environment.