Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations holding minnows

what is a good feed for all types of minnows?

Welcome to Pond Boss.

I'm not sure if you mean to feed them in tanks or in a natural pond. If in a holding pond, the water and the bugs should be enough. If in a tank, I'd stop by a local bait dealer and ask how they keep their stock fed.

Ground up fish pellets can be used to feed "minnows". Sometimes people refer to minnows as all small fish... Is this the case or are these actual minnows/forage fish? As catmandoo stated, minnows usually do just fine on natural forage, but adding ground up feed can increase the numbers in a pond.

If its in a aquarium or holding tank, plain goldfish flakes will be readily taken by common pond forage minnows like FHM and GSH.

ok maybe I need to back to bed cause I totally expected to find some gross recipie for cooking up minnows when I opened this thread.

Yes, as CJ says feeding minnows depends a lot on if they are small sportfish or real minnows such as: fatheads, tuffies, shiners, chubs, dace and similar types. It also depends on why and how long one is holding them. Is the intent to raise them, get them larger, and/or get them to reproduce or just keep them until the next fishin trip? Sometimes if the intent is just to store them for a few days to a week maintaining good water quality with adequate oxygen is a whole lot more important than trying to provide food for them. Feeding them can foul the water and increase the chance of fish deaths. Many fish can go days or weeks without food but not so if they have to live in poor water quality.

Well I would like to hold chub, sucker and shiner minnows for a few months in holding cages in a pond. so im thinking im going to have to feed them but with what IDK.

shiners will eat Purina AM food. I don't know about the other 2.

The chubs and shiners will eat just about anything you put in there... The suckers may be a bit more challenging, but should adapt to ground up pellets.

I've seen white suckers eat pellet feed in my pond.

White suckers will eat pellet, and pretty much about everything else, including algae. Except, they are primarily bottom feeders, so a cage might pose some problems. Toss a couple in an RAS with other species, and they will help keep it clean. They are also tolerant of less than prime water conditions.

Plus, they are great NP/Muskie bait!, and pretty good smoked!