Electronic minnow counter

A device for counting live minnows comprising:

• a tank for holding water containing a plurality of live minnows which are to be counted;
• a conduit connected to the tank to serve as a drain therefor;
• a valve interposed in said conduit and shiftable between an open condition which permits water and live minnows to drain through the conduit from the tank, and a closed condition which impounds the water and live minnows in the tank and conduit upstream of the valve;
• a minnow sensing and counting means addressing the conduit, for sensing and counting minnows passing through the conduit in the draining water, as they pass said minnow sensing and counting means;
• a control device interconnecting the valve and the minnow sensing and counting means, for closing the valve when a preselected number of minnows has been sensed and counted by the minnow sensing and counting means;
• and
• an improvement, wherein the conduit is connected to the tank by funnel means which presents a dark surface towards the minnows in the tank, and the remainder of the tank presenting a light surface towards the minnows, for using the natural habitat effect of minnows to draw them head first toward the funnel means.