Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I buy minnows from a local bait store, frequently feed them to my eastern painted, and occasionally to my red-eared slider. I always put them in the refrigerator. Sometimes they all survivee for weeks, and sometimes many die shortly after getting them. Could the difference in mortality be from different amounts of food the eat? I don't know what they eat. When I had goldfish feeders, I fed them goldfish food - but I don't know whether minnows would eat that stuff.

I keep minnows sometimes for my red ears and usually feed them regular goldfish food. I put a few tadpoles from my koi pond in the tank and thought it would look cute if there were some frogs in there. The turtles chased them all over the tank, and eventually caught and ate all of them.
Terry

I have 2 western painted turtles.. I usually buy rosies from the local pet stores a few dozen at a time and just put them all in the tank. They seem to eat extra garbage that ends up in the tank. However, keeping them alive usually isn't a problem. They don't last that long before they are eaten. I would suggest just getting less minnows at one time and putting them all in the tank at once.

>I have 2 western painted turtles.. I usually buy rosies from >the local pet stores a few dozen at a time and just put them >all in the tank. They seem to eat extra garbage that ends up >in the tank. However, keeping them alive usually isn't a >problem. They don't last that long before they are eaten. I >would suggest just getting less minnows at one time and >putting them all in the tank at once.

I wouldn't do that with my red-eared slider. She eats more than she should if I put a whole bunch of food at once. I am learning that as time goes on, because I used to feed her til she stopped, but she grew much faster than she "ought" to have, I think.

I think its just the batch of minnows you get. Sometimes they are healthy, other times there not. Just make sure to feed them every day and keep the water well oxygenated with the use of a air pump, and air stone. Also, I know minnows like cooler water, but the fridge may be to cool... Not sure. If its working for you I guess keep doing it.

-Chris
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Currently in the US Navy so I have sold off my collection. But over the years I have had dozens of turtles, fish, geckos, and other lizards. Cant wait to get back in the hobby once im out though!

Hi,
We go through a lot of minnows here. I keep mine in an insulated bait bucket downstairs where it's cold. I have a cheap air bubbler with an air stone at the end of the plasitc tubing. I let the air run all the time. Oxygen cold are the top things. I also clean the water at least once a day and take out the dead minnows. I have good luck with this method. I haven't really found anything the minnows seem to eat. I throw in some fish food sometimes but I think they are so stressed they don't eat. Be careful with minnows as sometimes Sticklebacks are mixed in and they have spines that protrude and may hurt the turtles. They have a sharper shaped face and body and when they swim their front fins kind of move in a fanning motion...