Bull Minnow Aquaculture
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Transcript of Bull Minnow Aquaculture
Bull Minnow Aquaculture
Kaylee D’Aloise
TaxonomyScientific Name:
-Fundulus grandis
Common Names: -gulf Killifish-mud minnows-mudfish-bullminnow
Economic ImportanceSold as live bait
Mostly used to catch flounder, redfish, and speckled trout
Prices are about $7-10/lb for wholesale and $12-20/lb for retail
Local bait dealers mostly rely on harvest of wild stock to supply market
Mostly grow experimentally still, other bait minnows are grown on much larger scales.
Life Cycle and Larval StagesLittle is known about larval cycle, but salinities of
5 to 40ppt result in better larval survival than higher or lower salinities.
As adults they spawn with the tidal cyclesThey can live up to 4 years old, however rarely do
because of predation and harvestLive in shallow waters of oyster bars, salt marsh
pool, bayous and tidal creeksFemales usually larger than males
Reproduction in CaptivitySpawn readily in captivityStocked in a 2:1 ratio of female to maleExternal fertilizationSpawn March to October but peak in March-AprilHave adhesive eggs that attach to spawning mats Water must be above 68 degrees Fahrenheit
Production Methods UsedGrown successfully in ponds in several southern
coastal statesMost information comes from experimental
facilitiesHave been grown in RAS but good growth was
hard to achieve with only artificial dietsBest production method is a three-phase system
Spawing pondHatching pondGrow-out pond
Phase 1 – Spawning PondPond stocked at 10,000 per acre2:1 ratio of female to maleWater needs to be 68 Degrees
Fahrenheit Spawning nets around edge of
pond and suspended in waterAfter one week they are moved
into the phase 2 pond
Phase 2 – Hatching PondPond must be filtered before mats put inTreat pond for insects1.5 million eggs can be stocked per acre, of which
you can expect 1 million fry fromEggs hatch in 2-3 weeksOnce fish reach 900 – 1,500 per pound they are
moved to phase 3 the grow-out pond
Phase 3 – Grow-out PondThe time needed to produce a certain size fish
depends on the stocking density, so depending on what the market needs depends how you stock phase 3 pond
Stocking at 50,000 fish per acre produces 2.5 inch minnows in 5 weeks, while 100,000 per acre takes more than 6 weeks
Stocking around 200,000 per acre gives little growth rate and can be used for holding fish over winter
When they reach market size they are harvested by either seining or pond draining
Bull minnow trap for harvest
Feeds and FeedingBull minnows are omnivores and feed on whatever
is availableFry are fed finely ground minnow meal that is 28-
32% crude protein at 5 pounds per acre per dayPhase 3 fish are fed floating feed twice daily at
10% stocked weight per dayEvery week the average weigh is taken and feed
adjusted, after one week it is dropped to 5% and so on
Water Chemistry and Environmental Requirements in
CultureTolerant to wide range of water qualitiesMinimum salinity recommended is 3-5 ppt, any
lower could affect spawning and disease resistance
High stocking rates might need aerators, a DO level generally above 4.0mg/L
Ponds should average 3 feet deep with smooth bottoms
Ponds free of aquatic vegetation
Advantages and Disadvantages
AdvantagesVery tolerant of water qualitiesLow mortality ratesLong-lasting on the hookGrow fast
Disadvantages Need large number of spawning females since females
produce low number of eggs (10-200 per spawn and up to 1,200 per season)
Very dependent on market demand and time of year Still a lot to learn in aquaculture of bull minnow
SourcesAuburn University Marine Extension & Research
Center http://www.extension.org/mediawiki/files/2/24/Growing_Bull_Minnows_in_Alabama.pdf
Southern Regional Aquaculture Center https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/getFactSheet/whichfactsheet/149/
Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experimental Station http://msucares.com/crec/aquabull.html
http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/aquaculture/baitfish-minnow.php