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