You guys might already know this but here goes. I have found some stuff called U2 Bait Booster that does a really good job of keeping minnows alive. I had 3 dozen I had kept alive since November with this stuff and a areator in a 5 gal fish aquarium. Just a few drops to begin with then one or two drops a day works great. The 1 oz bottle is available at Gander Mountain in Greensboro for $1.99 a bottle. I'm still on my 1st bottle. It removes ammonia and other stuff. They say 1 oz treats 60 gallons of water. Its good stuff if you have trouble keeping minnows alive like I did. The crappie won't eat um so I make pets out of them...lol.