A list of supplies and vendors for raising and spawning cocahoe minnows.

Utilization of above-ground pools is practical for production of large numbers of cocahoe minnow eggs. This is achievable outdoors throughout summer, with peaks in late spring and early fall.

When holding live baitfish, a number of factors must be managed properly to ensure good survival and health. Water quality, including parameters such as dissolved oxygen and temperature, is a very important factor to monitor while holding live baitfish.

Production of cocahoe minnow eggs is achievable throughout late spring and fall months. Utilization of fertilized ponds has been successful in several southern coastal states.

Fish predators can cause considerable losses of fish produced in aquaculture. This document provides a list of the most common fish predators at aquaculture ponds.

Keeping fish healthy while hauling is very important for survival. Water quality is the most important factor to manage while hauling fish. This document describes how to manage water quality and haul fish safely.

Cocahoe minnows are adapted to having their eggs exposed to both air and water due to rising and falling tides. This document is a description of how we imitate this behavior by using air incubation in the lab to produce and hatch larvae.

Live baitfish for saltwater angling is typically a seasonally available commodity due to the reliance on wild-caught animals. Cultured cocahoe minnows could help supplement the wild-caught baitfish supply, thus serving as a viable revenue source for producers. Staff from the LSU AgCenter, in conjunction with Louisiana Sea Grant and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, produced a survey for baitfish dealers. The following report is a summary of the responses from the survey.

The three main fish species raisedfor bait in the southern region are the golden shiner, the fathead minnow, and the goldfish. Together, these three species account for more than 90 percent of farm-raised bait and feeder fish sales in the United States.

The high fish densities demanded by the market effectively reduce the availability of natural foods for individual fish. Thus, intensively cultured fish are generally fed prepared feeds to support maximum growth.