What Do Saltwater Minnows Eat?

Saltwater minnows, strangely enough, can also live in fresh water, and though many fish types are popularly known as saltwater minnows, in fact, only a small percentage of these are true saltwater minnows. Read on to learn the eating habits of saltwater minnows and to lean how to keep them as pets or use them as bait for fishing.

  1. Identification

    • The term "saltwater minnow" is generally used to describe any very small fish that is capable of living in water with a high salt content. Some saltwater minnows are just smaller, less-developed fish or even amphibians. Others are not actually minnows at all but are simply extremely small fish that are mistaken for minnows.

    Types

    • True minnows are generally members of the subfamily Leuciscinae. Some are capable of living in saltwater and are, therefore, known as true saltwater minnows. Other small fish that are called minnows simply because of their size, and which can live in saltwater, are called saltwater minnows but are not true saltwater minnows. Both types, however, are relatively similar in terms of eating habits.

    Function

    • The vast majority of saltwater minnows eat the same basic things. Most eat small insects, small pieces of animal matter, algae, plant matter or a mixture of all of these. Some only eat one of those listed items or focus most of their attention on such items when they are available. Interestingly enough, many saltwater minnows are also capable of living in fresh water as well.

    Size

    • Saltwater minnows require very little food. In fact, in nature they generally eat often but extremely small quantities at any given feeding. Because of this it is important to remember to not overfeed saltwater minnows that are being kept alive for bait or being kept as pets. It is easy to kill minnows by overfeeding them.

    Expert Insight

    • It is relatively easy to provide food for saltwater minnows in captivity. Any standard fish food should work well and keep the minnows happy and healthy. Just shake a small amount of fish food into the water once or twice a day. If the minnows don't eat all of the supplied food, then add less for the next feeding. If, on the other hand, they consume all of the administered fish food very rapidly, then provide them with a little more immediately and at each subsequent feeding.